KINGSPORT – People regularly hear stories about the special, inspiring care children receive in Wellmont Health System hospitals with the help of Children's Miracle Network Hospitals.
Several parents and children who have benefitted from the lifesaving care they have received at Wellmont will share their experiences again in the coming year as Children's Miracle Network Hospitals ambassadors. They will be following in the footsteps of last year's inaugural families, who spoke at Children's Miracle Network Hospitals events about the benefits of this national organization.
Wellmont is the Children's Miracle Network Hospitals affiliate for Northeast Tennessee and Southwest Virginia. All money raised in the Tri-Cities region stays here to provide medical equipment, services and treatment to children at Wellmont hospitals and their centers for babies and children.
This year's ambassadors, recently introduced at a ceremony at V.O. Dobbins Community Center, are:
- Ella Kate Bailey, 16 months, daughter of Chris and Annie Bailey, Greeneville
- Brantasha and Brandanasha Epps, 6, daughters of Ann Epps and Brandon Johnson, Kingsport
- Braedyn Hankins, 2, son of Jonathan and Jennifer Hankins, Big Stone Gap, Va.
- Cameron Saddler, 13, son of Jonathan and Andrea Saddler, Grethel, Ky.
- Eli Stewart, 14 months, son of Morgan and Mardi Stewart, Blackwater, Va.
- Maddilyn and Matthew White, three months, daughter and son of Roxanne White and Johnny Watkins, Blountville
- Benjamin and Bryce Wooton, 14 months, sons of David and Stephanie Wooton, Cornettsville, Ky.
"We are excited to continue this ambassador program this year," said Todd Norris, executive director of the Wellmont Foundation. "All of us at Wellmont can speak passionately how Children's Miracle Network Hospitals changes lives, but it's the families who receive these services at our hospitals who can speak the most eloquently.
"They have witnessed first hand how the money raised from their friends and neighbors in our region has enhanced their lives."
The Wootons clearly understand it. They contributed to Children's Miracle Network Hospitals but did not realize how important and beneficial this charity was until their twins needed specialized care at Holston Valley Medical Center.
"We sure didn't expect to need this level of care for our children," David Wooton said. "I'm thankful other people donated so the equipment and services would be available for us when we arrived. Every little bit of money helps."
Stephanie Wooton makes no bones how crucial Children's Miracle Network Hospitals was to her family.
"Without Children's Miracle Network, my kids would not be alive today," she said. "The equipment Children's Miracle Network Hospitals helps pay for is essential to preserve life for children who would not live otherwise."
Parents also spoke highly of the care the staff at Holston Valley provided these children. Mardi Stewart said her son's time in the hospital could have been more difficult without the staff's support, encouragement and efforts to provide needed information about her son's condition.
The region's residents will become familiar with these ambassadors as they appear in public on behalf of Children's Miracle Network Hospitals. But people will also learn first hand about the way Children's Miracle Network Hospitals changed lives at Wellmont facilities on WJHL 11 Connects in the coming weeks.
The station will air the annual Children's Miracle Network Hospitals celebration on June 3-4. On these two nights, viewers will have a chance to pledge their financial support for the equipment, services and treatment children need to get better.
Following are summaries about this year's ambassadors:
- Ella Kate Bailey was born on Jan. 22, 2010, at Holston Valley at 28 weeks and weighing only 2 pounds, 6 ounces. She had spent 2 ½ weeks in the hospital's neonatal intensive care unit when she experienced a dramatic drop in her oxygen level. She underwent surgery at Holston Valley to repair a connection between her arterial and venous systems. Ella Kate experienced other problems such as a serious infection and respiratory and intestinal issues. But by the time she was 6 months old, she was doing extremely well.
- Brantasha and Brandanasha Epps began experiencing health issues when they were 3 years old due to pancreatitis. Admitted to Holston Valley within days of each other, the children received the necessary treatment before they were released from the hospital. The cause of their condition is unknown. They have flare ups from pancreatitis a few times each year but receive compassionate care in the healing environment of Holston Valley thanks to Children's Miracle Network Hospitals.
- Braedyn Hankins experienced severe trauma from one of those unfortunate accidents at home after he slipped on some soft-drink mix that had spilled. He was flown to Holston Valley and underwent neurosurgery for a brain hemorrhage and was then sent to Atlanta for rehabilitation. His recovery was expected to take three months, but, amazingly, he only needed a week. Braedyn is now home and doing exceptionally well.
- Cameron Saddler experienced an accident of an entirely different sort that gave his family quite a scare. As he pulled into his driveway on his motorcycle, he collided with a pickup truck. He suffered a severed leg, broken ribs, a broken pelvis, a broken hip and a broken hand. Cameron was flown to Holston Valley, where he was treated successfully for his injuries. He has made a full recovery.
- Eli Stewart was born at 29 weeks, weighing just 3 pounds, 3 ounces, and was quickly taken to Holston Valley's neonatal intensive care unit. He had respiratory issues and an intraventricular hemorrhage in his head with a grade 2 to 3 bleed. He required several blood transfusions for other health issues. Eli experienced some brain damage, and a neurologist has to monitor him for signs of further brain injury or cerebral palsy. But he is a growing boy who is meeting his developmental milestones.
- Maddilyn and Matthew White were the first twins born this year at Holston Valley, but the joy of this honor was tempered by the health issues they faced. Born at 24 weeks, they weighed 2 pounds, 15 ounces, and 3 pounds, respectively. Following a perforated bowel and patent ductus arteriosus ligation, they are growing and doing well. Matthew has been released from the neonatal intensive care unit, but Maddilyn is still a patient there.
- Benjamin and Bryce Wooton were born at just 29 weeks, with both weighing nearly 3 pounds. They were transferred to Holston Valley's neonatal intensive care unit. One of Bryce's lungs had collapsed, and Benjamin developed a brain bleed that worsened. A reservoir was inserted into Benjamin's head to drain fluid, and a daily spinal tap was required to monitor the fluid. Eventually, the boys were able to come home, and they are now thriving.
This year's Children's Miracle Network ambassadors and their families pose for a group photo.
Brantasha and Brandanasha Epps make sure their mother, Ann, knows they love her.
Benjamin Wooton had a good time at the ceremony announcing he was a Chldren's Miracle Network ambassador for 2011.
Benjamin and Bryce Wooton had a good time at the ceremony announcing they were Chldren's Miracle Network ambassadors for 2011.
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Wellmont Health System, Attention: Nick Adams 1905 American Way, Kingsport, TN 37660 United States
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Jeff Fleming
Kingsport Blog
