I've joined the Miles for Miracles team to help the brave kids at Boston Children's Hospital, including the bravest of the brave, my niece Levi, and nephew Bo.
Bo was born in 2020 with CPAM, a congenital pulmonary airway malformation, with a mass growing in place of his left lung. When his parents received this diagnosis during one of their ultrasounds, they switched their care to Boston Children's, which they state is the best decision they ever made. When Bo was born, his BCH team quickly swept in and Bo spent time in their NICU. Eight months later, an endoscopic removal of the mass and overnight stay turned into an open operation and four day stay due to the size of the mass and collapsed lung. Bo received around the clock care from his team, and he couldn’t have been in better hands. After follow up appointments over the next year, Bo was given a clean bill of health. Looking at him now, you’d never know what he had went through. He’s a rambunctious, saucy, energetic, sweet, and healthy 4-year-old, who happens to have a really cool scar!
Levi was born in 2023 and pretty quickly became a Boston Children’s Hospital patient. Once she began to eat solid foods, Levi’s parents began to worry as she endured prolonged episodes of vomiting when trying some new foods. One of these episodes lead to Levi passing out and being rushed to BCH. It was soon after this that Levi was diagnosed with Food Protein Induced Enterocolitis Syndrome (FPIES), a non iGe allergy, effecting the gastrointestinal tract. Certain trigger foods act as toxic to her little body, causing it to reject the food and could be so severe to send her into shock. Although feeding is still a challenge, my sister and brother-in-law are incredibly grateful for the care and guidance they’ve received from Levi’s allergy and GI team at Boston Children’s Hospital.
Bo, Levi, and their families are incredibly grateful for the care they have received from Boston Children's, and I am so excited to have them both as my patient partners as I run the 129th Boston Marathon!
