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Gillette Stories
At Gillette Children's we help every child in our care live a life defined by dreams, not diagnosis. Here you will find stories of inspiration and triumph and joy. Learn more about our work with patients and families that don't give up as we help every child live their story. Gillette Stories Magazine
A Patient Journey Comes Full Circle
April 1, 2025Former patient Elizabeth Lilley returned to Gillette 20 years later as a volunteer with Dairy Queen.
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Meet Jessie’s Club Ambassador Carter Mulvey
March 26, 2025Through expert care from his Gillette Children's care team, support from his family, and a lot of determination, Carter has made huge strides with his mobility.
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Meet Gillette Children’s Jessie’s Club Ambassador Adelynn McCoy
March 25, 2025Adelynn McCoy with KS95 Morning Show hosts at the 2024 KS95 for Kids Radiothon benefitting Gillette Children's and the M Health Fairview Masonic Children's Hospital Cancer Program.
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Gillette Children’s Announces 2025 Children’s Miracle Network National Champion
March 3, 2025ZaLayaa Jahzara Wandrick is 12 years old. She’s an excellent cook, crafter and loves science, soccer and coding, but for much of her life, has had to deal with multiple sensory and complex medical conditions. Gillette Children's is excited to announce ZaLayaa Jahzara has been named our 2025 Children's Miracle Network National Champion.
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Greater Minnesota Health Care Brings Appreciation and Awards
March 3, 2025Gillette Children's is committed to providing care for children who live in Greater Minnesota and in rural areas. A 19-year-old longtime patient credits the support and cerebral palsy care she receives at Gillette as one of the keys to helping her compete in the Miss Willmar pageant and winning a title.
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Tips on Surviving and Thriving in College
March 3, 2025Johns Hopkins pre-med student and Gillette patient, Kate Ketelhohn, shares tips to help students who have health issues enjoy a successful college experience.
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Cleft Lip and Palate Surgery for a “Rock Star”
February 28, 2025Ekler Is an 11-month old. Before he was born, an ultrasound exam showed his parents that he would be born with a cleft lip and palate. The expert craniofacial team at Gillette Children's to craft a custom treatment plan for their son.
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Leo’s Pompe Disease Journey
February 25, 2025Leo St. Martin is Gillette Children's 2025 Children's Miracle Network Champion. He is all about sports. Baseball, football, hockey, soccer – you name it, he wants to play it. When he was an infant, Leo was diagnosed with Infantile Pompe disease, a rare genetic disease that leads to weakened muscles. His physical and occupational therapists helped get him into a power chair when he was just three, and they continue working with him, motivating him to make the impossible, possible.
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How Physical Therapy and PSSE Can Change Life with Scoliosis
February 3, 2025Gillette Children’s is proud to offer physical therapy scoliosis specific exercise, PSSE, to help patients reduce the symptoms of scoliosis—which is a curvature of the spine. A Gillette patient is grateful to two Gillette physical therapists for helping her strengthen her spine and inspiring her career path.
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Answering Common Questions About Scoliosis Bracing for Kids and Teens
January 30, 2025From fashion advice to practical tips for skin irritation, we answer the common questions kids and teens have about wearing scoliosis bracing.
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Sled Hockey Provides Access for Children Who Have Disabilities
August 19, 2024You 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."
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Lainey’s Spinal Muscular Atrophy Journey
August 13, 2024Born just days after genetic screening for spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) became the norm for newborns in Minnesota in 2018, Elaina – or Lainey – was the second child in the state for whom the test had a life-changing impact.
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Joe and Bill’s Annual Lemonade Stand Brings Community Together
July 29, 2024A perfect summer day set the stage for Joe and Bill's 9th Annual Lemonade Stand, a fundraiser that started as an endeavor to give back to Gillette in 2016 and has grown into a beloved community tradition. This year, their efforts culminated in their personal yearly record of nearly $16,000 to help Gillette Children’s families pay for adaptive bikes.
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Wyatt’s Journey Through Clubfoot Treatment
June 11, 2024Wyatt Krentz's path to a diagnosis of clubfoot began early—in fact, the process started before he was even born. Learn more about the expert clubfoot care Wyatt began receiving at a very young age.
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Occupational Therapists (OTs) Help Infants and Toddlers Thrive
April 25, 2024Parents concerned about a child exhibiting differences in movement, play, learning, or communication can get good advice from the highly trained occupational therapy (OT) team at Gillette Children's. The OT team is a key contributor to the Gillette Infant and Toddler Development Evaluation. It is a comprehensive evaluation that can help parents and primary care providers find answers.
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How do you beat your disability? By never letting it define you.
March 21, 2024Featured in the book by Lily Collison (in collaboration with experts at Gillette) is her son, Tommy Collison, who lives with spastic diplegia. Tommy’s story, in his own words, is shared in the epilogue of Spastic Diplegia. He details how his love for writing provided him an outlet to navigate his disability while shaping his perspective on what it means to not be defined by a diagnosis.
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Gillette Childrens Announces 2024 Childrens Miracle Network Champion
March 19, 2024ZaLayaa Jahzara Wandrick is 11 years old. She’s an excellent cook, crafter and loves science, soccer and coding, but for much of her life, has had to deal with multiple sensory and complex medical conditions. Gillette Children's is excited to announce ZaLayaa Jahzara has been named our 2024 Children's Miracle Network Champion.
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Owens Cerebral Palsy Care in Greater Minnesota
March 14, 2024A busy first grader from Fosston, Minnesota receives early intervention and care for cerebral palsy at Gillette Children's. Read on.
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Teamwork, Determination Land SMA Patient in College
September 18, 2023Ashley Wohl, a 20-year-old woman with Spinal Muscular Atrophy, type 2, worked with Gillette Children's specialists to prepare for her future as a college student at North Dakota University.
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More Crowning Achievements for Joe
July 13, 2023Joe Carr has another major award to proudly add to his impressive collection. The Richfield Human Rights Commission recently awarded him The Gene and Mary Jacobsen Outstanding Citizen Award. It's one of the most prestigious honors in the Minneapolis suburb and is given to a person or group who has shown outstanding community service and a commitment to human rights.
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Spine Surgery Day for Owen
June 15, 2023It was a day everyone knew was coming. After months of planning, it was time for 13-year-old Owen Earl to have spinal fusion surgery with Gillette orthopedic surgeon, Tenner Guillaume, MD. Follow Owen and his family on surgery day and learn how the expert spine team at Gillette makes a difference for children who need scoliosis care.
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Two Mothers Share Cleft Lip Stories
July 19, 2022New mothers Delissa Kearney and Janessa Erickson know what it’s like to hear your baby has a health condition before they’re even born. They’re both sharing their stories to support other parents who might find themselves receiving a diagnosis of cleft lip and/or palate for their baby.
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How to Style Your Outfits with A Scoliosis Brace
June 29, 2022The best part about our orthopedic specialists and the spinal braces created is the fact that they are completely custom. From molding the brace to fit the spine to custom patterns, we want kids to be able to incorporate it into their daily outfits as much as possible.
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The Journey of Mateo Arcos: Hope, Love and Cerebral Palsy
November 30, 2021As he ambles down a long hospital hallway, smiling with every step and practically daring you to do the same, it can be pretty easy to forget that this wasn't supposed to happen. Mateo Arcos was never supposed to walk.
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Kyra Condie Reaches New Heights Following Spinal Fusion
June 13, 2021Kyra Condie was one of 4 athletes from the US to compete in Sport Climbing’s debut at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics. This story was originally published in 2021, just before the rescheduled games were held. We continue to cheer Kyra on and celebrate her many achievements.
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How to Help Your Children Cope with a Sibling’s Hospital Stay
May 29, 2019Having a sibling who is hospitalized and seeing stressed parents can bring a lot of emotions to the surface for children. Child life specialists at Gillette share their expertise on how you can help all the children in your family cope with hospitalization.
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Student Broadcaster Recovers from Transverse Myelitis with Eggnog Fizz and Friends
May 2, 2017This is not what Earl Weir planned for his junior year in high school. The 17-year-old from Howard Lake, Minnesota was a busy teenager—involved in his school's broadcast club, spending time hunting and fishing with his dad and listening to music with his mom. Earl is an example of how life can change in an instant.
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