MEET GIOVANNI

Condition:  Colorectal Malfunction

Shortly after Giovanni was born at a Southern California hospital, nurses noticed he had a rare abnormality. They fed him and his stomach swelled up and remained distended.  Further examination revealed that Giovanni had an anorectal malformation that occurs in roughly 1 in 5,000 births. His colon did not develop in the right location, making it impossible for Giovanni to have a normal bowel movement.

ANDIE SUE & KAYSIE LI

Condition:  Orthopaedic

Andie Sue and Kaysie Li Roth appear the picture of grace and agility when performing with their horses in equestrian competitions. But that wasn’t always the case.

EMMA

Condition:  Traumatic Injury

Emma was riding with her grandpa through sand dunes near Pismo Beach when their vehicle was run over by a Hummer. Emma’s father, Matt, witnessed the collision and was the first responder on the scene.

ANTWON

Condition:  Sports Injury

When Antwon was carried off the football field due to a knee injury in the fall of 2017, he questioned his future as an athlete. Thanks to the Sports Medicine team at Shriners Hospitals for Children — Northern California, he is on track to return to the playing field.

ATHENA

Condition:  Spastic Diplegia, a form of Cerebral Palsy

Athena was diagnosed with spastic diplegia, a form of cerebral palsy, when she was 9 months old. Doctors told her parents, Molly and George, that because of the spasticity their daughter may not walk.