UW Health Kids

Create a book or toy drive in honor of your child's birthday to help kids in need at the American Family Children's Hospital. Launch your personal fundraiser at https://uw.health/3yP7Tm6.

Bake sales can result in breakthroughs, and birthday fundraisers can lead to major cures. Become a Community Champion by creating a campaign (large or small) for those "I wish there was something more I could do" moments.

Because It's up to all of us—the local and global community alike—to join with the brightest minds in research and care at the American Family Children's Hospital for one critical purpose: human wellness. Because every child is worth it.

ChopChop Cooking Club is a hands-on learning experience that helps connect kids and caregivers to healthy foods and eating together. Sign-up or learn more: https://uw.health/chopchop

Locations: East Madison Hospital and Badger Prairie Needs Network in Verona.
Cost: $5 per participant.

Happiest of birthdays to our sweet Cola boy! He celebrated turning four with a Badger-themed pawty that patient Ross helped create. A few Wisconsin Football athletes and co-worker Archie joined in the celebration. 🦡❤️🤍🥳

🌈🚗 The Hyundai Hope On Wheels Handprint Ceremony on August 22 was a joyful event dedicated to an important cause. Patients and families participated in a creative art project to honor those affected by cancer and to raise awareness for pediatric cancer research. The highlight was when the kids placed their colorful handprints on a shiny Hyundai SUV, symbolizing their hope and support.

Hyundai Hope On Wheels is a nonprofit organization supported by Hyundai and local dealers committed to helping children fight cancer by funding research and raising awareness. This event also marked the presentation of a $400,000 research grant to Dr. Paul Sondel and his research team, aimed at advancing the development of an antibody treatment for high-risk neuroblastoma, a type of nerve cancer. Dr. Sondel’s research seeks to improve survival rates and make the treatment less toxic in order to deliver the treatment in an outpatient clinic, reducing the need for overnight hospital stays. 🎗️

Abraham has already been through a lot in his short life. Before he was even born, Abraham was diagnosed with a rare heart defect called Taussig-Bing anomaly.

His parents found out he would need a complicated and high-risk open-heart procedure just days after his birth. Sarah and Lee, who live just north of Green Bay, looked at multiple facilities around the nation and within the state, and were blown away by Madison. They appreciated how comforting and helpful everyone on the team was from the front desk staff to the nurse coordinator.

Abraham was born in March, less than a week later, a team that included Dr. Petros Anagnostopoulos and Dr. Joshua Hermsen performed a complex surgery on Abraham's heart, closing a hole and switching the aortic and pulmonary arteries.
The surgery went well, and Abraham was able to go home 10 days later. He probably won't need any further surgery. He'll be monitored, but he should have an active, healthy life.

Someday, his mom will tell him about what he's been through, “I think we'll tell him it was a gift. The love we received from the team was incredible. He's been so loved, but right away, he had this entire team loving on him as well. He was such a little warrior and that set the bar really high for what the rest of his life will be. He's just been an overcomer from day one.”

Learn more about our fetal cardiology program: https://uw.health/3Wmk4Ag

💚 💙 Today we’re celebrating Sezar! Happy first transplantversary to our first kids heart transplant recipient! Sezar is a typical 12-year-old who loves soccer, video games and time with his family and friends. He’s silly, happy and growing fast, all because a family made the ultimate gift and donated their loved one’s organs. Our program is growing fast, and our dedicated team is very busy saving lives, but you’ll always be our first, Sezar. (Or #1, as you always remind us!) 😊

Start your fundraising effort to champion pediatric causes that matter most to you. Launch your personal fundraiser at https://uw.health/3yP7Tm6.

You can become a Community Champion by creating a campaign (large or small) for those "I wish there was something more I could do" moments. Bake sales can result in breakthroughs, and memorials can lead to major cures.

It's up to all of us—the local and global community alike—to join with the brightest minds in research and care at the American Family Children's Hospital for one critical purpose: human wellness. Because every child is worth it.

As we celebrate 10 years of our NICU's life-changing care, Katie shares her son’s remarkable story from the NICU to a thriving childhood.

“I had a normal pregnancy, but after Jensen was born, it was clear something was wrong. He was so quiet and alert, and after his first bath and eating he went into respiratory failure. Soon after he was transported by Med Flight to American Family Children’s Hospital.

For 45 days, my husband and I basically lived there. I spent my days pumping and reading stories to my son and trying to make this feel normal. The doctors would always include us in their rounding as they discussed our son's care and answered our questions. The morning after his first surgery, I remember Dr. Peter Nichol calling Jensen a ‘rock star’ and giving him a thumbs up.

After rounds, the nurses listened to our concerns and always chatted with us. The nurses put our son's needs first, but they also cared about us, the parents. We always felt heard.

Each day was a roller coaster of emotions as we found more complications, and Jensen required more tests and surgeries, BUT we never worried about his care. The nurses would hold my hand or explain the procedures in detail. I can still hear Jensen's primary nurse Heather entering the room saying, ‘Mr. Jensen’ as she did every time she arrived for her shift.

Nine years later, Jensen still sees several specialists at the children’s hospital. Occasionally, we see nurses and doctors from our NICU experience, and I've never forgotten our time living in the NICU. Thank you to the amazing staff and wonderful care team. Because of all of you, our son is a happy and healthy 9-year-old ‘rock star’! ”

“The moment I got her, I instantly fell in love with her.”

When Shontrell received a call asking her to provide a foster home for a newborn who was sick with liver disease, she didn’t balk at the idea of caring for a medically fragile child. Shontrell has been a foster parent for years, and she knew her biological children and other foster children would love Amareah’s huge personality too.

With all that love, and the expert care provided by her team at American Family Children’s Hospital, Amareah has a big future ahead of her, thanks to a lifesaving liver transplant.

Amareah thriving after liver transplant Amareah received a life saving liver transplant and is now able to be herself.

🐮We had so much fun at our second annual Fetal Diagnosis and Treatment Center Family Reunion with UnityPoint Health - Meriter.

In celebration of 10 years of providing hope and healing to our tiniest patients, Samantha shares the remarkable journey that “Little Liam” traveled to our NICU and beyond.

“My first pregnancy was a very normal pregnancy, until it wasn't. At 27 weeks, I woke and noticed some bleeding. My doctor's office instructed me go to the hospital and I was placed on bedrest. Bedrest only lasted 12 hours before contractions started.

We live in Lancaster, in rural southwest Wisconsin. Grant Regional Health Center has played an important role in all my pregnancies, but they don't see a lot of premature deliveries. They were trying to get me to Madison to deliver, but there weren't any available beds in the Meriter NICU. It ended up being a moot point though because all attempts to slow down labor were not working.

Liam was born 12 weeks prematurely, weighing 3 lbs 3 oz. He came out screaming, so I knew his lungs were functioning. A Med Flight (then called CHETA) ambulance crew was on their way to transport Liam to American Family Children's Hospital, but it was a very stormy morning, so at one point they had to pull over due to a tornado warning.

Because he missed the entire third trimester of pregnancy where most of the iron build-up and storage takes place, he would need a blood transfusion during his stay. He received his first transfusion at three weeks old and suffered a hemolytic reaction—his body attacked the donor's red blood cells which led to acute renal failure. In total, Liam received 6 transfusions during his stay, he was intubated on three separate occasions to assist with breathing, and had more scans, tests, blood draws, and examinations than I can count.

I enjoyed being a part of the daily rounds in the NICU. Each morning, his care team met to form a game plan, and discuss goals for all aspects of his care. This was helpful because I was able to meet with the physician, the nurses, the nutritionist and the respiratory therapist all at once. Medicine is a foreign language to me, but the nurses were helpful in making sure that I understood everything after the rounds concluded. I was especially grateful for their care and guidance during bad days.

We had four different rooms during our stay in the NICU, which is impressive when you consider there were only 12 rooms at the time. The family area of the room included a sofa and reclining rocker, along with a full bathroom. No need to worry about finding a place to stay away. Everything I needed could be done without leaving the campus, which was immensely valuable to me, since home was 90 minutes away.

Liam was discharged after a 66-day stay. He came home without any accessories—eating and breathing on his own—and he hasn't slowed down since. Looking at him now, you would never know of his rough start to life. He just completed 3rd grade. He is active in baseball, football, basketball and soccer, and avidly cheers for the Brewers, Packers and Badgers.

We will be forever grateful for the American Family Children’s Hospital, Med Flight, and every single person that was part of his care team during his stay.”

Great news for families in southern Wisconsin and northern Illinois! UW Health Med Flight is now closer to you and your children.

We've opened a new base in Janesville with a helicopter, ambulance and specialized medical teams ready to help. As the only dedicated specialty neonatal/pediatric team in the area, they're equipped to handle a wide range of medical situations for all ages. Learn more: https://uw.health/4cupSx2

It’s hard to imagine a kid who has better handled her cancer diagnosis than Charley, a spunky, fun-loving 8-year-old girl from Milton, Wisconsin.

Charley started limping and experiencing increasing pain in her knee during the spring of 2023. Her mom, Mariah, thought Charley might have torn a muscle, but after seeing a physical therapist later that summer, the news was much worse. It was osteosarcoma, or bone cancer. The tumor was located just above her left knee.

“I was trying to keep it together for her when we got the news,” Mariah recalls. “She was sitting in my lap and tears were running down my face, but I quickly wiped them away so she wouldn’t see.”

Charley’s treatment plan included coming to American Family Children’s Hospital every week — usually from Thursday to Sunday — for chemotherapy. As Charley got to know the hospital staff, her outgoing personality blossomed. Everyone who met her loved her. She even began welcoming new patients to the unit and making sure they were doing ok.

Charley and her family knew there was a strong possibility that part of her leg would need to be amputated to reduce the likelihood of future recurrence of her cancer. Once doctors discovered another tumor in the bottom of her leg, there was no choice. Amputation to just above the knee was performed in November 2023. Six months later, she began to walk with a prosthetic. Because Charley shares a rare genetic condition with her mom and brother that increases one’s chances of getting cancer, Charley will take a pill version of chemotherapy indefinitely, even though she completed in-hospital chemotherapy in April 2024. She also will have imaging done frequently to watch for any signs of recurrence.

As she goes to physical therapy this summer, Charley’s goal is to be walking before the fall, when her family will take her on a Make-A-Wish visit to Disney World.

Dedicate your child's birthday to helping kids in need at the American Family Children's Hospital. Launch your personal fundraiser at https://uw.health/3yP7Tm6

You can become a Community Champion by creating a campaign (large or small) for those "I wish there was something more I could do" moments. Bake sales can result in breakthroughs, and birthday fundraisers can lead to major cures.

It's up to all of us—the local and global community alike—to join with the brightest minds in research and care at the American Family Children's Hospital for one critical purpose: human wellness. Because every child is worth it.

❤️ ⭐️💙 Check out these adorable little fireworks who recently made their debut at UW Health Women and Children’s Hospital.

Community fundraisers play a critical role in blazing the trail for the next health care frontier. Launch your personal fundraiser at https://uw.health/4aPZnk5.

You can become a Community Champion by creating a campaign (large or small) for those "I wish there was something more I could do" moments. Bake sales can result in breakthroughs, and memorials can lead to major cures.

It's up to all of us—the local and global community alike—to join with the brightest minds in research and care at the American Family Children's Hospital for one critical purpose: human wellness. Because every child is worth it.

Prevent accidents before they happen! Let's keep the little chefs at bay and the kitchen accident-free!

Our Caring Canines visiting dog program celebrated its first anniversary last month. In our first year we had 14 volunteer dogs who completed 1,478 feel good visits. Our patients enjoy these interactions from our furry volunteers that can help normalize their hospital stays. These exceptional dogs and their gracious owners are part of our volunteer program. Each dog is temperament tested and vetted before they begin visiting our patients. If you’d like to learn more, please visit: uwhealth.org/caring-canines

Dr. Becky Richards’ pediatric cancer patients fuel her ambition to make new treatment discoveries in her research lab. Learn more: https://uw.health/3QVvLKX

“As a physician-scientist, I spend 20% of my time treating patients. I see the challenges that they face with standard chemotherapy. It provides a lot of motivation for me to come back to the lab and make an impact with my research," she says.

Engineering new CAR T-cell treatments for pediatric leukemia Dr. Becky Richards is studying ways to treat acute myeloid leukemia using immunotherapy, which harnesses a patient's own immune system to fight their cancer.

Shoutout to the NICU team who recently celebrated 10 years of helping little ones bloom! 🌼 🌹

When she was 3 years old, Danielle experienced a series of strokes due to Moyamoya disease, a narrowing of arteries at the base of the brain, which prevents blood flow. Doctors tried existing treatment options, but a year later, more strokes occurred.

Neurointerventionalist Beverly Aagaard Kienitz and pediatric neurosurgeon Bermans Iskandar, began researching what else could be done. They recommended a new procedure using a detailed map of Danielle’s brain.

The results astounded the surgical team and gave the family immense relief — her strokes stopped and she experience dramatic cognitive improvement. Over time, most of her mobility and speech returned, and Danielle was able to play sports, attend college and become a teacher's aide.

This surgery not only changed Danielle's life, but since then, the pair have performed 14 of these procedures with the same results. Dr. Bermans says, "We’re greatly encouraged that the patients are doing so well, which in turn inspires us, and hopefully others, to study the procedure further.”

Learn more:

Novel procedure has kept Danielle stroke free for 15 years Danielle suffered strokes due to Moyamoya disease, but hasn't had one in years thanks to a unique procedure invented by two UW Health doctors.

🏌️‍♂️⛳️ This year's American Family Insurance Championship is June 7-9, 2024, at University Ridge Golf Course in Madison. Receive discounted tickets and support American Family Children's Hospital! Use the code uwhealth24 to get a 20% discount off general admission tickets on any tournament day.

This 3-day, 54-hole stroke play tournament is an official PGA TOUR Champions event hosted by Steve Stricker. The tournament features a 78-player field of PGA TOUR champions and qualified invitees. In addition to the golf, you can enjoy a fun, family-friendly event. 🎈

Purchase your ticket at: https://www.cuetoems.com/afic_2024/Tickets.aspx

Beat the back-to-school rush by scheduling your child's sports physical now. Call your clinic today, so they can be prepared this fall.

One of Cola’s trained abilities is to assist and inspire kids to get out of bed to move, walk and play. Cola has been helping motivate DJ to work towards his movement goals. DJ and Cola walk the hallways of the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU) together often, forming a special connection and friendship along the way. Cola and DJ’s bond through working regularly together is so apparent that Cola’s handlers are certain if they dropped Cola’s leash at the doors of the PICU – Cola would head straight to DJ’s room. 🦮💕

NICU nurse Aliona Zyteja is taking over the Careers at UW Health Instagram account today. Watch their stories to go behind the scenes in the NICU. ▶️ instagram.com/uwhealthcareers

🎉 What an incredible finale to Radiothon! We had an amazing lineup, including insights from Maggie Goldbach, a child life specialist and the handler of our newest support dog, Archie. Titus, Rayna, Alfie, Mak and their families joined us to share their inspiring journeys at American Family Children's Hospital. BIG THANKS to everyone who donated, our fantastic families, nurses, doctors and hospital staff who bravely shared their stories, and of course, our generous sponsors who made it all happen! Together, we raised an astounding $357,916 for American Family Children's Hospital! ❤️