Meet our kids
Kid's Ministry
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Marriage Preparation
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Women's Ministry
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Volunteer Groups
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College Ministry
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Pastoral Support
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Our Miracle Kids are the reason we go the extra mile, the 110%, above and beyond. They are the kids behind it all and we wouldn't be able to do what we do without them. All of our Miracle Kids have directly benefited from our Children's Hospital in Macon, Ga.
If you know anyone who has been treated at Children's Hospital, Navicent Health and might like to be a part of GC Miracle as one of our Miracle Kids, please contact our Director of Family Relations, Caroline Brown, at gcmiraclefamily@gmail.com.
OUR KIDs:
Macie Johnson
Her story:
Diagnosis: Ventricular Septal Defect with Anomalous Muscle Bundle
Diagnosed at One day old with VSD, which means that she had 3 holes in the muscle of her heart. Hospitalized multiple times as a baby to treat secondary issues from her VSD such as profuse vomiting and failure to thrive. Tube fed for a few months and was healthy by the time she turned a year old. However, she was diagnosed with the anomalous muscle bundle, a complication of VSD, a year ago and is once again receiving treatment and may face open heart surgery in the future.
Wyatt Turner
His story:
Diagnosis: Bronchiectasis, GERD, Swyer-James Syndrome, cavernous hemangeoma liver (benign tumor), dysphagia, asthma, delayed bone growth
Basically, Wyatt has several lung diseases that give him symptoms similar to Cystic Fibrosis. Because of this, he is small for his age and has a chronic cough that sometimes slows him down. He has had large portions of his left lung removed.
Current Health Status: Bronchiectasis has spread into his right lung, which only used to be in his left lung.
John Pate Leverett
His story:
Diagnosis: 26 week premie
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Born at 26 weeks and spent 100 days in the NNICU on life support. He was 2lbs 7oz at birth and 14 inches long and dropped to 1lb 15oz at his lowest weight. John Pate had a brain bleed, retinopathy of the eyes, spinal meningitis, was on oxygen 51 days, and had numerous blood transfusions, and two surgeries. We were told he would not walk, talk, or see, and that he might be mentally retarded. He is playing soccer and has been tested for the gifted program!
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Avery Lee
Avery was experiencing severe diarrhea with blood and excruciating stomach cramps. Upon taking her to the doctor and completing stool cultures she was diagnosed with CDiff. C-Diff is an extremely contagious and deadly (over 15,000 people a year are documented as dying from C-Diff but there are more that are classified as stroke, dehydration, etc.). We started with a treatment plan of Flagyl. We did three rounds of therapy with Flagyl and each round failed. She was admitted into the hospital for IV antibiotics and to begin Oral Vancomycin. She responded well to the oral Vancomycin and was released after 4 days. She was to remain on the Oral Vancomycin for 6 weeks with great hopes that it would be the end of the bacteria. At the end of the treatment, the C-Difficile returned. She was readmitted to the hospital. She began treatment of IV Flagyl and oral Vancomycin. Again, she responded well; she had a colonoscopy and it was determined there was not an underlying issue that kept her from fighting off the bacteria. She was released and it was decided that she would have a therapy of taper dosing for Oral Vancomycin. During the next 6 weeks, Avery developed reactive arthritis, night terrors, and had to be taken out of school, church and social situations. After 6 weeks, the C-Diff returned. While trying to find a hospital to perform a Fecal Microbiota transplant (the closest at the time was Minnesota), she began an experimental therapy that was also unsuccessful. After many prayers, God sent us to Dr. Jeff Lewis at CHOA. Dr. Lewis had been working for 18 months for approval to begin pediatric fecal transplants. At our very first appointment, he told us that he would receive the approval the next weekend he could perform the transplant. The next week we took Avery in and she was the first pediatric patient in the Southeast to undergo a Fecal Microbiota Transplant.
Hunter Bayne
Diagnosis: pneumothorax at birth
Hunter was born in distress after a long and intense labor that was very hard on him. Immediately after birth, he suffered a pneumothorax (collapsed lung) and was taken immediately to the NICU for a chest tube, oxygen support, and a feeding tube. With in one week's time, Hunter went from being a "notouch" baby to weaning off the feeding tube and heading home.
Elwin Starling
Diagnosis: Esophageal atresia and tracheoesophageal fistula, Autism Spectrum Disorder
Elwin was born with a defect to his esophagus and windpipe (called EA/TEF). He spent 75 days in the NNICU and had 7 surgical procedures during that time to repair the esophagus and place a feeding tube to allow him to eat and grow until he could learn to eat by mouth. After leaving the hospital, Elwin continued with 3 years of physical, occupational, and feeding therapy. At 3.5 years old, he was diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder (level 1/Asperger's). He has been in behavioral therapy since that time. He also has a hyperlexia diagnosis, which means he has a very special reading super power. :)
Abe Gainous
Diagnosis: Pre-B Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia
Abe was diagnosed in May of 2012. This leukemia is cancer of the white blood cells. He has been in remission since August 13, 2012. He finished maintenance chemotherapy in August of 2015.
Ava Smith
Ava is one of our brand new Miracle kids this year! We cannot wait for all the adventures to come with her joining our miracle Family! Ava Jade was born at the Medical Center in Macon, GA. She had a spontaneous brain bleed in utero which led to her being born with a condition called Hydrocephalus. Her brain was building up with fluid, because it could not drain like it should. She was transferred to Scottish Rite in Atlanta and had surgery when she was 6 days old. She had a "shunt" inserted into her brain that connects to her abdomen by a tube. It drains the excess brain fluid from her brain to relieve the pressure, into her abdominal cavity. She was transferred back to the Navicent Children's Hospital for her recovery and we stayed there for almost 2 weeks. Her father and I never left her side and spent the night in the room with her.
Six months later, Ava Jade is the happiest baby I have ever seen. She has had one more surgery to fix the shunt, but is continuing to surprise us with her strength everyday. We are so thankful to God for these Children's Hospitals that have blessed Ava and so many other kids.
Haiden Lewis
Haiden was diagnosed with B-cell Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia on April 14, 2018. He has been treated at Beverly Knight Olson Children’s Hospital. Haiden is currently in maintenance where he takes maintenance pills daily. We are so happy Haiden has started this year cancer free and that he is one of our miracle heroes!
Kyler Pike
In l October 2017, Kyler,starting having low-grade fevers in the evening when he came home from daycare. A few weeks later he began having leg pains during the night that worsened over a few days time. One particular night, his leg pains were so severe he screamed all night long and refused to walk the next day. This prompted us to take him to his pediatrician. After labs and monitoring his fever, he was referred to a specialist for possible juvenile rheumatoid arthritis and subsequently an Oncologist. Kyler was diagnosed with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia on 11/21/17 and began treatment the day after Thanksgiving.
Treatment for ALL last approximately 3 1/2 years and consists of chemotherapy—through a port, orally, and in the spine, steroids, blood transfusions, hospitalizations and more. Kyler goes to physical and speech therapy too.
On Kyler's good days, he enjoys sports, playing outside in the dirt with construction vehicles, building Lego's, searching for bugs, pretending to be super heroes, and playing with his MONSTER TRUCKS!
Cassius Finch
Cassius was diagnosed at birth with a severe form of the blood disorder, Sickle Cell Disease. He has undergone numerous blood transfusions, over 45 hospitalizations, and has experienced several delays in his development due to the severity of his disease. He began his journey in Chattanooga, TN and after relocating to Macon, GA in 2018 has seen a dramatic improvement in his health. He receives blood transfusions monthly that have allowed him to stay out of the hospital and enjoy school and playing with his sisters.
Molly Lister
Diagnosed through new-born screening with 3Mcc- a rare genetic metabolic disorder. Admitted to hospital approximately a dozen times to avoid metabolic crisis when sick.
Julianna Kennedy
Rare form of bacterial meningitis at 5 months old and lost all hearing. She was implanted before her 1st birthday with bilateral cochlear devices. She has recently graduated from speech therapy and had been released from physical and occupational therapy!
DJ Willis
On March 13, 2018, this fear became a reality when 15-year-old baseball player and track athlete DJ sustained 4 fractures to his right leg and 3 to his left during a track competition. The broken bones included both tibias and fibulas as well as his right ankle. DJ’s surgery was completed two days after the accident, and DJ was discharged the following day. Following the successful surgery, DJ was required to be in a wheelchair for 8 weeks and needed assistance with virtually all of his daily activities. His final surgery took place on November 20 to remove the hardware from his legs. Following his 2-week post-op visit, he was cleared to resume regular activities and he returned to the baseball diamond.
William Winters
While playing football for his school last year, William collided with an adult volunteer. He immediately began vomiting and had trouble walking despite the lack of external symptoms. His mother rushed him to the Pediatric Emergency Center at the Beverly Knight Olson Children’s Hospital, where scans revealed he had a severely lacerated spleen. He was cared for in the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit for several days before he was able to go home. He has since made a full recovery.
Walker & Hayden Tonn
Hayden and Walker were born at 30 weeks. Both girls were in the hospital for over 40 days. Hayden had a hard time gaining weight and struggled with her breathing while she would eat. Both girls slowly made progress and began to gain weight, maintain a normal body temperature, and thrive over several weeks. January 13th Walker came home and Hayden followed a week later.
Aubrey Henderson
After being born 8 weeks early, Aubrey was admitted to the NICU. She spent the first three weeks of her life in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit receiving the care necessary to sustain life. Aubrey was born weighing only 3 lbs 8 oz, so it was critical for her to learn how to drink from a bottle so that she could gain weight. The NICU helped her with feeding, breathing, weight gain, and maintaining her body temperature. Aubrey is now a happy and healthy baby!
Caroline Curry
Delivered at medical center and upon c-section, her lung collapsed. We spent 6 days at Beverly Knight Olson NICU. She was on the cooling blanket the first 72 hours. Now, she’s a happy 7 month old meeting milestones!
In Honor of Our Angels
"Your life was a blessing, your memory a treasure; You are loved beyond words, and missed beyond measure."
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Georgia College Miracle has had the honor of loving these three beautiful souls. These children were a light in the lives that they encountered and continue to be an inspiration to us all. Each day we continue to push on for children like Brody, Hailey, and Leena and so that families like theirs never have to go through what they went through ever again. Always in our hearts and forever on our minds, Brody, Hailey, and Leena will forever be our angels.
