Miracle Stories

• Submit a Story
• Mallory Cooper
• Elizabeth Gallagher
• Garrett Peek

Mallory Cooper

I imagine every parent that is expecting always thinks about the same questions. Will my baby have my eyes? Will they have their father’s hair color? What will they look like? I imagine though, that they never think will my baby have Hirschsprung’s Disease? I know my parents didn’t think about that, but when I was born my family’s life was changed forever.

My name is Mallory Cooper, and I was born with Hirschsprung’s Disease. It is a condition caused by a lack of nerve endings in the intestinal system. Some cases are worse than others and I had a severe case. My entire colon and part of my small bowel were affected. I have had more than 17 major surgeries which included central lines, feeding tubes, removal of my large intestine and part of my small, a colostomy, an iliostomy, and the list goes on. I was in and out of Children’s Mercy for the first five years of my life and my mom and I lived there more the first two years, than we did at home. From the time I was born until now, my life has been so much easier because of all the help from the doctors, nurses and surgeons at Children’s Mercy Hospital. The doctors and staff helped my family however they could. They became my second family. My mom told me about one Christmas when I didn’t have to be in the hospital and one of my surgeons called at home to see how I was feeling. They really do care! A lot of people say that I am a miracle child. There were other groups besides the doctors and nurses who made my stay at the hospital good. There is a group of people who do all that they can to provide money, toys, wagons, supplies and whatever they can to make the hospital more enjoyable.

Children’s Miracle Network is that group. Since I was young, they have helped me and hundreds of other local children. I would do anything to help Children’s Miracle Network because I see the importance of this group and all those who contribute money to help those who need it. Thank you Children’s Miracle Network for being there for me and all of the other children you help in Kansas City!

Elizabeth Gallagher

Our daughter Elizabeth had a difficult first year of life. Although she arrived routinely and fell into the usual around-the-clock "unscheduled" life of a newborn, Elizabeth never seemed to progress. She missed milestones (like sitting up and holding toys), was frequently ill and wasn't growing properly. Elizabeth was developmentally delayed, and she started having seizures at 14 months, followed by periods of respiratory distress. Diagnosed with cerebral palsy, we determined that one of her key developmental problems was her inability to eat correctly.

While we were desperately trying to get her to gain weight, Elizabeth was silently aspirating. Following more serious respiratory problems, virtually no growth and more seizures, Elizabeth had a feeding tube inserted into her stomach in April 2002, and she hasn't eaten conventionally since. Elizabeth is now four years old. The feeding tube has alleviated her respiratory problems, helped her grow physically, and she's in the 25th percentile of height and weight for four year old girls. Developmentally, she's unable to walk, talk, or eat, and she has very limited fine-motor skills. However, she can smile, laugh, respond to her name and recognize the people who love her. Most importantly, Elizabeth can teach. She has taught our family the important life skills of tolerance, acceptance and patience. She doesn't have the life that we all take for granted, but she has an amazing capacity to enrich our lives and the lives of those around her without ever saying a word.

We've met an amazing group of people who've dedicated themselves to helping children with special needs and their families. We've learned to celebrate the small miracles - the length of time she can go without an illness, an upcoming two-year anniversary of being seizure-free, and her recent achievement of walking 30 feet in her walker over a 40 minute period with her beloved physical therapist. We could not care properly for Elizabeth or give her the resources she needs without the dedicated physicians, and health care professionals.

Garrett Peek

In 2003 the Peek family had just returned from a dream family vacation to Hawaii when one of their children, five-year-old Garrett, came down with the flu. Garrett could not seem to shake the illness and as it progressed into an unusual case of mono his mother took him to see his pediatrician. As weeks passed with no sign of recovery, additional blood work was drawn during a second visit to the pediatrician. The very next day, Garrett’s doctor instructed his parents, Tammy and Ed, to immediately take their son to Children’s Mercy Hospital.

Physicians at Children’s Mercy Hospital examined Garrett’s blood work and determined the diagnosis was cancer. Additional tests were needed before they could share the specific diagnosis. Doctors wanted to provide an exact diagnosis and treatment plan before delivering the difficult news to the Peeks that their son had Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia. Tammy remembers the diagnosis was a shock to the entire family and the worst possible fear for her and Ed. The encouraging news was that unlike a lot of children diagnosed with cancer, Garrett’s disease had been caught early enough that his prognosis looked good. No cancer cells were found in his spinal fluid so he would not need any radiation and his doctor did not anticipate that a bone marrow transplant would be necessary.

What Garrett would need was chemotherapy, and a lot of it. Garrett was initially admitted to Children’s Mercy Hospital for five days. The normally active five-year-old could not get out of bed because his legs hurt so badly. Nurses told the family this was because his cancer cells were growing in his legs. He had surgery to install a portocatheter or port, where the chemotherapy would enter his body. For the next year Tammy and Garrett would drive from their home in Odessa, MO to Children’s Mercy Hospital where Garrett would undergo weekly chemotherapy treatments, often lasting several hours each visit. Throughout Garrett’s hospitalization and treatment, Ed continued to serve in the military, having active duty assignments in Afghanistan and Iraq. He would return home as often as possible to provide support and care for Garrett.

During the first year Garrett also underwent spinal taps every three weeks. The days Garrett received his treatment were the only times he was allowed to leave the house. Once he arrived at Children’s Mercy Hospital, he usually had no interest in returning home. “Children’s Mercy Hospital is wonderful as they make it so easy for kids to have to be there. The kids want to stay and play because they have the child life specialists around to make them comfortable and they really get to know the nursing staff who make them feel loved,” said Tammy. Each time Garrett was in for a procedure, he picked out a special CD and made friends with a new stuffed animal that would go home with him. At Easter last year, the entire family made a trip with Garrett to the hospital and each child received an Easter Basket.

Garrett passed his first year, called a maintenance phase of treatment, with flying colors. He now receives monthly treatments through his port, and must also take a chemotherapy pill each day. While most children look forward to October 31 as a time to Trick-or-Treat and dress up in costume, for young Garrett and his family the day this year will signal the end of his three-year treatment program.

Garrett has missed a lot of school and started kindergarten a year later than other children his age. Taking protein to boost his immune system allows Garrett to be exposed to some of the germs at school, but the medication gives him migraines and his body still has a hard time fighting off skin disease. Garrett is eagerly anticipating his inaugural day of first grade when he will get to play soccer, have recess and lunch with his friends and go to McDonald’s—activities that leukemia has kept from him.

“We are fortunate to have CMN hospitals in Kansas City for our children who need them. You never think it will be your child who is sick or injured, but if something does happen, these are the best places to take care of our local children,” said Mrs. Peek. The gifts bestowed by CMN donors make a difference in the lives of children like Garrett every day. His smile shows just how much these gifts are appreciated.