Patient Stories
Samantha’s story: ‘I was bullied by a classmate’
During the fifth grade when Samantha was 10 years old, she was bullied by a male classmate. She remembers walking through the halls of her elementary school and hearing the bully call out these words: “Why are you on this earth? You don’t deserve to be alive.” The bullying followed her every day. “I didn’t want to ... Read More about Samantha’s story: ‘I was bullied by a classmate’
Patient Stories
How a broken leg and a transatlantic flight led to a deep vein thrombosis
Pain was 16-year-old Katerina Dalmanieras’s first warning sign when she returned from a family vacation in August. The high school junior, who fractured her fibula a month earlier, was in a leg brace and on crutches, so she had not moved during the seven-hour transatlantic flight. “When I got home from the airport, my leg ... Read More about How a broken leg and a transatlantic flight led to a deep vein thrombosis
Patient Stories
Hip pain resolved, Louise takes steps to become a surgeon
Louise Atadja couldn’t remember the last time her two big toes touched. Ever since she was born, her feet rotated out. As she got older, the outward position of her feet became more pronounced. “It caused me to walk strangely and run weirdly,” says the former track star who excelled in her sport even though ... Read More about Hip pain resolved, Louise takes steps to become a surgeon
Patient Stories
Against all odds: Mila’s unique mutation, and her own custom drug
Ed. note: Mila passed away in February 2021, at age 10. The Mila’s Miracle Foundation continues to work to pave a pathway for personalized treatments. The FDA recently released a draft guidance on testing custom drugs such as Mila’s in patients. As a baby and toddler, Mila was healthy, active, and — in some ways ... Read More about Against all odds: Mila’s unique mutation, and her own custom drug
Research
Shooting for the moon: From diagnosis to custom drug, in one year
Ed. note: Mila passed away in February 2021, at age 10. The Mila’s Miracle Foundation continues to work to pave a pathway for personalized treatments. The FDA recently released a draft guidance on testing custom antisense oligonucleotides (ASOs) in patients. One weekend in January 2017, Timothy Yu, MD, PhD, was relaxing at home when his ... Read More about Shooting for the moon: From diagnosis to custom drug, in one year
Clinical Care
Caring for immigrant children in politically contentious times
Facing public outrage, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security recently reversed their decision to end medical deferred action, a program allowing immigrants with serious illnesses to remain in the country while receiving lifesaving medical treatment. Among those most relieved by the reversal was Dr. Lakshmi Ganapathi, pediatric infectious disease specialist at Boston Children’s Hospital and ... Read More about Caring for immigrant children in politically contentious times
Health and Parenting
What you need to know about vaping to keep children safe
Could your child be vaping? A growing number of middle and high school students today are using vaping products, also called e-cigarettes, JUULs, or dabs (used for vaping marijuana) among other names. Signs and symptoms of vaping can be difficult for parents to notice, but talking with your kids about vaping and monitoring for concerning signs ... Read More about What you need to know about vaping to keep children safe
Our Community
Meet Meghan: Making clinical research meaningful
I’ve been working for the Experimental Therapeutics and Interventional Trials Center for nearly four years, the last two as a clinical research specialist, serving as a project manager for clinical research studies. What makes my job interesting is doing something a little different every day — anything from startup procedures to coordinating study visits with ... Read More about Meet Meghan: Making clinical research meaningful
Health and Parenting
Why are doctors prescribing play?
If you want to make sure that your child succeeds, make sure that they … play. The job of children, according to the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), is to play. In fact, the AAP has a policy statement about the importance and power of play — and encourages pediatricians to do everything they can to get ... Read More about Why are doctors prescribing play?
Health and Parenting
How do I have ‘the talk’ with my tween?
When most parents think about talking to their kids about sex, it makes them very uncomfortable. It’s not exactly easy to discuss the specifics of how babies are made — especially when you are hoping that your kid doesn’t have sex until they are, well, much older. Which makes you not want to discuss it ... Read More about How do I have ‘the talk’ with my tween?