Monday, March 15, 2010

Ryder's Story

Ryder
Age 4
Leukemia

Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh of UPMC

Karrie sensed that something was wrong with her son when he was an infant and her instincts turned out to be accurate.

At the time, Ryder was always sick and didn’t recover easily. He finished antibiotics only to become sick again. At 18 months, Ryder was diagnosed with acute myeloid leukemia, a blood cancer that is challenging to treat in children.

When Ryder should have been playing outdoors like a healthy child, he spent his days at Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh. Ryder underwent five rounds of intense chemotherapy treatments, which sent his cancer into remission.

But the cancer came back and in order to prevent more chemotherapy, Ryder needed a cord blood stem cell transplant. After a successful donor match was found, Ryder underwent the transplant. The recovery took five weeks, but left Ryder as good as new.

Ryder is resilient, caring and wise beyond his years, although he is only 4. He loves his mom very much and often says: “We’re stuck like glue, Mom, right?”

Thursday, March 11, 2010

About Walmart and Sam’s Club

Wal-Mart has supported Children’s Miracle Network since 1987. Since then, Children’s Miracle Network and Wal-Mart have worked tirelessly together to help children by raising money for children’s hospitals. Walmart and Sam’s Club associates, customers and members have raised more than $500 million for children’s hospitals during the 23 year relationship. This is the second year Walmart and Sam’s Club have sponsored the Champions program.

Wednesday, March 10, 2010

Champions presented by Walmart and Sam’s Club

Champions presented by Walmart and Sam’s Club is a Children's Miracle Network program that brings attention to the important work being done at children’s hospitals by honoring remarkable children who have faced severe medical challenges.

The Champions program designates a champion child in every state who has bravely battled a serious injury or illness. The champions represent the nearly 17 million children treated at Children’s Miracle Network hospitals every year. The 2010 champions have dealt with a wide variety of injuries and illnesses including genetic diseases, heart transplants and traumas, as well as life-threatening staph infections.

As part of Champions presented by Walmart and Sam’s Club, the champions travel for a week in June to Washington, D.C., where champions traditionally meet with their state senators on Capitol Hill, and the President of the United States during a visit to the White House. The family then travels to Orlando, Fla., for a second week in November. There, champions meet Children’s Miracle Network sponsor, hospital and media partners who all convene to celebrate a year of medical miracles during the Children’s Miracle Network Celebration event at Walt Disney World Resort.