Home

Many the Miles: Deep Brain Stimulation Gives the Gift of a Son

As loud music filled the adjoining hallways near the Neurosciences unit at Gillette Children’s Specialty Healthcare, passersby could be forgiven if they were a bit confused. The atmosphere was festive and there was good reason for it. At long last, James Bostic, 17, was able to go home. He had been in the hospital for 15 months.

Holiday Travel Tips for Children Who Have Special Needs

Parents traveling with family members who have a disability or special need are often dealing with extra issues and concerns. During the holidays airports are crowded, security lines long and traffic is snarled. Preparation and knowledge are the keys to decreasing stress and getting rid of your bah humbug.

The Miracle of Owen

Owen Nei is 10 years old, an avid hockey and baseball player, and a young man who lights up every room he’s in with his positive, irrepressible attitude. Given how his life started out, the fact that he’s even here, much less doing all of these things, is nothing short of a miracle.

Gillette Assistance Program (GAP) Changes Lives

Nicole Leinonen says she’ll never forget the phone call that she says changed her life. “Every time I think of that phone call from Gillette telling me that I qualified for some financial assistance I get emotional. I’m amazed at how generous people are,” Nicole says. “The Gillette Assistance Program (GAP) means I can focus on Ella and her needs. I don’t have to be so stressed worrying about how, as a single parent, I can pay for her care.”

Dog Treats Mean Business for Teen Who Has CP

Learn about how Jennifer and her son Nick, a Gillette patient who has cerebral palsy and epilepsy, came up with an idea for a part-time business making dog treats and turned it into a reality that they hope will provide employment opportunities to other young adults who have disabilities.

Words Can Break Your Heart

October is National Bullying Prevention Month. While much has been done to help curb bullying behavior, the statistics show more needs to be done. One study shows 60 percent of children who have disabilities report being bullied regularly.

A Cerebral Palsy Odyssey that Culminates in St. Paul, Minnesota

Aaron Navarro is a 14-year-old teenager from Grandview, Texas. He's a sophomore this year, is an active member of his high school debate team and runs 5K races (even though he’ll tell you that running isn’t his favorite thing). His mother, Christine, will tell you that the fact that he is running at all is nothing short of remarkable.

Twice the Hope for Help with Cerebral Palsy

They came to Gillette Children's Specialty Healthcare with twice the hope. Twice the dreams. Twice the determination.The Bracho Diaz family left their native Venezuela eager for another round of expert care for their 10-year-old twin daughters Maria de los Angels and Maria Antonieta. Yes, identical twin sisters who share the name Maria and a diagnosis of spastic quadriplegia cerebral palsy.

Family Makes 700-Mile Journey to Treat Daughter’s Cerebral Palsy

"Every step Sophia takes is a testament to the countless dedicated individuals who made it possible," says her mother, Susan Slinkard. Sophia and her family traveled from Arkansas to Minnesota for major neurosurgery aimed at reducing Sophia's spasticity.

Super Sam and Cerebral Palsy

At Target Field, every Sunday is Kid’s Day and on a beautiful summer day in August, Samuel Anastos scored the first honorary run of a Minnesota Twins game. It was a joyous moment made all the more meaningful because there was a time in Sam’s life when his parents questioned whether he would learn to walk or talk, much less run.