Kids Health Matters
Topic: Disability Advocacy

"This experience allowed me to advocate for the issues I care about to some of the most important people who can present my ideas on a larger scale," says Katie Allee. Learn about Katie's recent trip to D.C. and why she's passionate about being a voice for all children who have complex conditions.

You know, there might be nothing more Minnesotan than lacing up a pair of skates and heading out to the rink. “You bet, you’d better believe it,” says Tony Lang of Loretto, Minnesota. “I grew up playing hockey my whole life. It’s a family tradition. In fact, when we had kids I built a rink in our backyard.”

Tall, red-haired and boisterous, it’s not a surprise to learn that Connor plays on the football team back in North Dakota, or that he’s pretty popular.

Pain affects all aspects of life, but for many of us, it’s an abstract concept. But, for a moment, imagine what it would feel like to experience chronic pain for an entire month. Start with that, but now expand it out to a year—or maybe even, every day of your life.

Kelsey's attitude is so affecting, she says that most people don’t notice at first. Kelsey was born with a radial club hand, and her left arm is significantly shorter than her right. This means that when she’s instructing yoga—perhaps the most public of exercises—she’s essentially doing most of it, one-handed.

Katie Allee takes Advanced Placement classes. She’s 15, and she’s a straight-A student. Her mind? It’s all there, and she’ll tell you as much. But when it comes to her body physically, for much of her life, she’s had difficulty.

Gillette patients, families and employees joined together at the Minnesota State Capitol to mark our 120th anniversary. Check out photos of the celebration!

On April 25, Gillette patients, families and staff will gather at the Minnesota State Capitol to kick off the hospital's 120th anniversary. See why advocating for Minnesota children who have complex conditions is important to Gillette.

To celebrate National Cerebral Palsy Awareness Month, Gillette is relaunching an updated version of its ability-themed emoji keyboard called Emojability.

If you want to know how a former guard to the British Royal Family wound up racing his sailboat to help Minnesota children who have disabilities, follow along below.

Meet Katie Wilkins, a Gillette physical therapist who is passionate about helping kids who have juvenile arthritis. Learn why she's being honored at the 2017 Walk to Cure Juvenile Arthritis.

Take a recently filmed Facebook LIVE virtual tour of our new valet entrance, check-in desk, guest services, waiting areas and more.

Mason and his father Rich saw nearly 500 rock bands live in concert last year. They refused to let Mason's cerebral palsy get in the way of reaching their goal.

There are few things in life as overwhelming as learning your child has a disability. Accepting this and moving forward is a different process for every parent. We spoke with Gillette neuropsychologist Richard DiPrima, PsyD, and below he offers advice to help families navigate this emotional time.

Krista Horning, a Gillette employee for nine years, hopes she's an inspiration to the patients she helps. That's because she's been a patient at Gillette since childhood. Meet Krista and learn why she loves working at Gillette.

This October marks the 10th anniversary of 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. Parents can learn tips to help intervene when the bullying becomes more intense and persistent.

When Alexandra's mom started getting questions from other parents about Alexandra's condition, mother and daughter decided to help shift others' perceptions about disabilities. Learn how.

Avery, a sixth grader who has cerebral palsy, recently had the opportunity to showcase some of her favorite back-to-school fashions to thousands when she modeled for the Mall of America's 2016 Back to School Look Book. Learn how the experience helped build Avery's confidence and how care at Gillette has helped her thrive.

The therapeutic recreation specialists at Gillette can help plan family summer activities to make sure children who have mobility or health challenges can have fun in the sun.

The Mauer and Friends Kids Classic united sports heroes and supporters of Gillette to improve the lives of kids who have disabilities and complex medical conditions. Minnesota Twins first-baseman Joe Mauer and his wife Maddie hosted the event at the Twins' Target Field.

Javier loves spending his summers in Alaska with his mom. But until recently, his family feared those visits might end. Learn how new technology is helping Javier continue his favorite summertime tradition.

The Feyereisen family built a sandlot field in their backyard to inspire inclusiveness and teach kindness among their triplet sons, who have varying degrees of disabilities, and their friends. It's come to resemble a real-life "Field of Dreams."

Gillette kids and their families will be able to express their unique experiences like never before thanks to a first-of-its-kind app.

When Stacy Soman’s son Hunter started being bullied consistently last year, this question came up more and more. “When your kid starts coming home with bruises, it’s hard not to say: ‘You know what, maybe you should hit back, and they’ll leave you alone.’ Many children would take that advice, but not Hunter."

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

Every parent wants their child to be healthy, but that isn’t always the case. The reality is that as many as one in about 325 parents will have a child who has a complex medical condition such as cerebral palsy, according to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The CDC also says about one in six children will have some type of developmental disability.

March is cerebral palsy month – and March 25 is National CP Awareness Day. Take a moment to get information about the most common motor disorder. Remember that when a child is diagnosed, it doesn’t mean he or she can’t live a happy, fulfilling – and most important – meaningful life.

Gillette participated in a Twitter chat hosted by ABC's Dr. Richard Besser on rare diseases as part of Rare Diseases Day. Gillette was one of the top chat influencers.

Hear from Gillette's Scott Schwantes, M.D., about what it means to have a rare disease, and why he's so passionate about helping Gillette patients thrive.

A longtime Gillette patient takes a stand against college bullying after using adaptive equipment on campus. She used social media to respond.

This week, the LEGO company unveiled its first-ever figure to have a disability. Hear from Gillette neuropsychologist Richard DiPrima on why the move is cause for celebration.