Each year, Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals selects a pediatric patient from each state to serve as a “Champion” ambassador. These kids advocate for children’s health and raise awareness for the charitable need of children’s hospitals in their state by sharing their incredible medical stories.
We are thrilled to welcome Carol Finch, mother of Jeannette, Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals 2015 Rhode Island Champion, as a guest blogger. Below Carol explains Jeannette’s condition, her exceptional care at Hasbro Children’s Hospital and her experience attending Hasbro’s annual fundraising event, the Scrabble Ball.
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Jeannette was born with osteogenesis imperfecta, which is more commonly known as “brittle bone disease.” Before she was born, we were told that she had a 50/50 chance of having this because John inherited it from his mother. We were also told that if she had it, its effect had a 50/50 chance of being worse or less than his condition.
Jeanette visiting ALEX AND ANI World Headquarters.
When Jeannette was six months old, her dad picked her up out of her crib and while trying to put her into a comfortable position, her leg got stuck and he heard a snap. We went to the local hospital where they took an x-ray and referred us to Hasbro Children’s Hospital. She had a hairline fracture of her right femur, and because she wasn’t walking yet, Dr. Eberson decided to let it heal on its own. She fell again about a year later when she was learning to walk. She fractured her right arm and this time Dr. Eberson decided that the arm should be put in a cast because she was learning to walk, and children generally fall while learning to walk. She’s had a few other fractures since then, including a foot that she wouldn’t walk on until it was healed, and she fractured her arm 2 more times in her short nine years. One of the fractures on her arm required surgery.
We cannot say enough about the quality of service Jeannette and us have always received at Hasbro. The doctors and staff are highly trained and educated. Their first goal is to always make sure their patients are comfortable and cared for, and then they communicate to the entire family that they are going to do everything in their power to not only get the healing started, but to make it happen.
We feel honored that Jeannette was chosen to be the Children’s Miracle Network Champion 2015 for Hasbro Children’s Hospital. Recently, we were invited to the Hasbro Children’s Hospital Scrabble Ball, an annual event that raised over $1 million this year! Jeannette had the pleasure to meet and greet several representatives from the hospitals sponsors including several employees from ALEX AND ANI | CHARITY BY DESIGN. On one occasion, Jeannette and I met two girls, and one girl said “Jeannette, I saw in the video that you have cats, do you have a bangle with a paw print on it?” Jeannette said no, and the girl promptly took off her bangle, gave it to Jeannette, and said “I want you to have this.” The other girl asked me if I had the new “All For One” bangle. I explained that our friends who had accompanied us to the ball had bought one for Jeannette, but that I didn’t have one. That girl removed her bangle and gave it to me.
We would like everyone to know how thankful we are for Hasbro Children’s Hospital, for their care for Jeannette, and for the sponsors like ALEX AND ANI | CHARITY BY DESIGN who make sure that every child is given the best care possible! Without them and their sponsors, we would have to travel out of state for her specialized care.
