From Florida to Boston and back again

A 1,500-mile journey for expert care brings answers.

Some conditions require a village of caregivers. And sometimes, the village extends far from home. Isabella was born with spina bifida, which occurs when the brain, spinal cord or membranes that cover them do not completely develop. Since she was a toddler, Isabella has coped with incontinence, difficulty walking long distances and other concerns related to her condition. By age 10, she had undergone numerous surgeries.

When Isabella’s symptoms worsened several years ago, her mom, Teresa, reached out to Boston Children’s for answers. After consulting with experts through the hospital’s online second opinion service, the family decided to travel to Boston from their home in Florida for Isabella’s care.

In a single day, Isabella had visits with a team of renowned specialists at Boston Children’s, including a urologist, an orthopedic surgeon, a neurosurgeon and others, along with advanced imaging and other testing. Our experts agreed that Isabella needed surgery to release her spinal cord from tissue around her spine. The operation was successful, and Isabella and Teresa have returned to Boston periodically for checkups.

Today, the healthy and articulate 16-year-old advocates for children with complex conditions and has launched her own adaptive clothing company, Hidden, for people of all ages with incontinence.