Brandon's Success Story

February 18, 2009 – Brandon's future looked bright. He was a straight-A honor student at Pine Crest Preparatory School and, at just 15, Brandon was already a basketball legend in not only his local community—but nationwide as well. One day in February 2007, however, it looked like Brandon might never play basketball again.

Nathan's Heart Defect Success Story

October 10, 2008 – Ethan Bortnick tells the story of how Dr. Redmon Burke and the team at Nicklaus Children's Hospital helped bring back his baby brother, Nathan, back to life. Nathan was born with a hypoplastic left heart syndrome, the most devastating heart defect a baby can have.

New 'Turbo' Limb-Lengthening Technique Helps Jalen Move Ahead

June 02, 2008 – Jalen  is the first patient regionally to benefit from a new “turbo” limb lengthening procedure that reduced the length of time he wore the frame to only six weeks.

Ruby's Success Story

July 20, 2007 – Shortly after Ruby’s fourth birthday, she began having seizures. After thorough examinations by the Comprehensive Epilepsy Center team, it was decided a surgery would be needed to stop her seizures.

Melanie's Epilepsy Success Story

July 20, 2007 – Little Melanie, then only 3, was seizing as often as 40 times per day and each would begin with a scream as the child anticipated the impending episode. Melanie's family was exhausted from the long battle to end her seizures and fearful, knowing the unchecked neural malfunction was affecting her growth and development. 

Lubenson's Success Story

July 20, 2007 – When baby Lubenson arrived at the Hope for Haiti Children’s Center school and orphanage in Ouanaminthe, Haiti,in the spring of 2006, the missionaries knew at a glance that he would need far more than the tiny island republic’s medical community could offer. Eight-month-old Lubenson’s face was disfigured by an enormous tumor in his mouth that threatened his survival.

Jany's Success Story

July 20, 2007 – At 15, Jany knows not to sweat the small stuff. In the months since she was diagnosed with cancer, the Westwood Christian School sophomore has gained a rare perspective on life.Today, Jany is cancer-free and pursuing her education at home while waiting for her immune system to regain strength.

Eliza's Success Story

July 20, 2007 – Eliza was balancing on a curb nearby when she lost her footing and fell on her left hand. The glass bottle she was holding shattered in her hand. Eliza arrived at the hospital and was taken to a room where the medical staff wrapped her hand and discussed her options for treatment. Deirdre Marshall, MD, plastic and reconstructive surgeon at Nicklaus Children's, was assigned to perform the surgery.

Alexa's Success Story

July 18, 2007 – Alexa was treated by trauma nurses John and Paul, who put Alexa at ease and stayed with her throughout the day. After several tests and Xrays, physicians determined that in addition to her facial injuries, Alexa had a broken neck, a ruptured spleen, broken rib, punctured lung, cut liver and fractured hip. She received care at Nicklaus Children's from a team of healthcare experts who performed surgery on Alexa to realign her facial bones.

Shannon's Miracle Story

July 17, 2007 – As soon as she was born, 5-pound, 10-ounce Shannon Walsh was diagnosed with esophageal atresia. Airlifted to Nicklaus Children's Hospital, the pediatric surgeons repaired her esophagus with a new method that would require significanlty less time than traditional procedures.

Jason's Pectus Excavatum Success Story

July 17, 2007 – Jason Pivowar had been through a lot – including a total of four hospitalizations since undergoing what was supposed to be routine surgery at a Palm Beach area hospital in July. Following the summer surgery to correct pectus excavatum (a sunken chest), Jason experienced numerous complications, including an infection surrounding the lining of his heart, kidney stones caused by medications, problems with the corrective bar that had been surgically placed in his chest to raise his inverted sternum, and finally, a collapsed lung.

Janessa's Success Story

July 17, 2007 – A portion of Jannesa’s skull had been forced five and a half inches into her brain and she had an orbital fracture that threatened her right eye. Doctors advised that Jannesa be transported to Nicklaus Children's Hospital where a neurosurgeon and other specialists would be waiting for her.

Destiny's Cancer Success Story

July 17, 2007 – Destiny has worked her magic while battling a persistent form of cancer. The journey began when two large tumors – one the size of a fist – were found in Destiny’s brain when the child was just 18 months old. Within a day of the diagnosis, Destiny was in the hands of Nicklaus Children's neurosurgeon Dr. Glenn Morrison, who successfully removed the tumors.

Daniel's Success Story

July 17, 2007 – Daniel was working hard to fulfill his dream of winning a sports scholarship to a prominent university, when suddenly those plans seemed to unravel.

Sebastian's Cerebral Palsy Success Story

July 16, 2007 – Sebastian was diagnosed with a severe case of cerebral palsy, a condition that causes difficulty with muscle control. In Sebastian’s case, it would make it nearly impossible to pass key milestones like chewing solid foods and walking.

Ryan's Neurosurgery Success Story

July 16, 2007 – Ryan had regular headaches, which were revealed to be caused by an arachnoid cyst embedded at the center of his brain. The doctors of Division of Neurosurgery at Nicklaus Children's successfully removed the cyst, restoring Ryan to his usual playful self.

Hannah's Success Story

July 16, 2007 – Hannah was born with a condition known as bladder exstrophy—her bladder was outside of her body and turned inside out. Hannah was taken to Nicklaus Children's Hospital, formerly Miami Children's Hospital, with only a 48-hour window to perform a delicate surgery to repair her bladder.

Daniella's Story

July 16, 2007 – Daniella dreams of being a pediatric oncology nurse - not a common career ambition for a teenager. But Daniella is not your typical teen. The determined 16-year-old has faced a highly aggressive form of cancer and has been disease-free for three years.

Bria's Success Story

July 16, 2007 – Bria was taken to the Cancer Center at Nicklaus Children's Hospital, where her family learned she had an aggressive form of bone cancer, called osteosarcoma, in her left thigh. With the care and compassion Bria and her family received at Nicklaus Children's Hospital, today this energetic third grader is showing the world how to beat the odds.

Alyssa's Success Story

January 15, 2007 –

Alyssa was born with myelomeningocele spina bifida, a birth defect in which the backbone and spinal canal do not close before birth. She had kidney surgery which was a great success, but had to return a week later due to an infection.