A Patient Journey Comes Full Circle

When Elizabeth Lilley was diagnosed with Idiopathic Scoliosis at age 14, her journey with Gillette Children’s began. Seeking specialized care and treatment, Elizabeth remembers the dedication and expertise of Gillette’s medical staff as they helped her navigate her condition.

“I have vivid memories of my time at Gillette,” she recalls. “Getting fitted for the brace over the course of several days, working with the amazing staff who carefully build these customized medical devices, and the resulting treatment requiring me to wear my brace for 20 out of 24 hours per day.”

Under the expert care of Dr. Steven Koop, Elizabeth built perseverance and strength, allowing her to maintain an active lifestyle through high school. She continued seeing Dr. Koop into her early 30s as a patient at the Lifetime Specialty Clinic to monitor her condition.

More than 20 later, Elizabeth found herself back at Gillette Children’s—this time, as a mother. Her son, Harrison, was diagnosed with Trigger Thumb (stenosing flexor tenosynovitis). The specialized team at Gillette successfully performed surgery to restore full mobility to Harrison’s thumb.

“I knew Harrison would be under the best care with the team at Gillette, and I was so thankful for all the doctors and nurses who ensured a successful outcome,” she says.

Elizabeth’s connection with Gillette took another meaningful turn when she joined Dairy Queen’s volunteer efforts for Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals (CMN). Working at Camp Gillette last summer, she realized she had come full circle—this time, as a dedicated supporter of the hospital that once cared for her.

Now, as part of Dairy Queen’s enthusiastic group of Gillette volunteers, Elizabeth actively gives back to children and families in need. She even enlisted Harrison in a DQ volunteer project, making warm and colorful fleece blankets for Gillette patients.

“It was great to talk to my son about how we can give back our time and energy to help put a smile on another child’s face,” she says. “I always look forward to opportunities that DQ has to support our local CMN Hospital, and I thoroughly enjoy spending time with the amazing Gillette patients.”