Generosity Reflected in a Child’s Life
7.5.2024 | Isabelle Minasian
You can save for a new car, or a house, but there is simply no way to prepare – financially or emotionally – for a lifechanging medical diagnosis. And yet, that is the reality for so many of the families at Seattle Children’s. There is a seemingly endless litany of things to do and to worry about, but the cost of a child’s care should never be one of them. It’s why Seattle Children’s has the most generous financial assistance program in the Washington, Alaska, Montana, Idaho (WAMI) region, providing more than $375 million of care not covered by insurance or Medicaid last year, and why community support to the Uncompensated Care Fund is so vital.
For families like Christian’s, it’s an incredible relief. “We applied for financial aid because we have insurance, but it’s not enough,” says Karina, Christian’s mom. “The bills were so high, even when we were in network and on good insurance. We wanted to be able to focus on him being healthy emotionally and physically.”
When he was just 9 months old, Christian began to struggle to open his hands and his mom, Karina, took him to their pediatrician who referred them to Seattle Children’s. Christian was diagnosed with Marfan syndrome, a genetic disorder that affects the connective tissue, including the major blood vessels and the heart valves. This marked the beginning of his medical journey, and he’s since had three surgeries at Seattle Children’s, including aortic valve replacement and spinal surgery for MAGEC rod placement after he was diagnosed with scoliosis. The MAGEC (MAGnetic Expansion Control) system is as miraculous as the name sounds, allowing surgeons to lengthen a patient’s growing rods with the push of a button – without any incision, anesthesia or painful recovery period. Seattle Children’s was among the first to adopt the MAGEC system after it was approved and our orthopedic experts are the most experienced in the region, so Christian was in the most capable hands.
“It can be painful, it’s been a long journey,” Karina acknowledges, “But at the same time, we always feel the support of Seattle Children’s.”
Today, Christian receives care from a number of different providers and services in addition to the cardiology and orthopedic teams, including physical therapy, occupational and speech therapy, and genetics. He and his mom continue to make regular visits to the hospital – often with 4 to 5 appointments in a single day. Despite the adversity Christian has faced, he remains an active, happy kid who loves to play games with his cousin. The two are especially fond of the iPad game Roblox, and in April, he celebrated his 8th birthday.
“Whoever is donating to Seattle Children’s, I want to say thank you,” Karina says. “Whether it’s one dollar, or five hundred dollars, or millions of dollars, every penny is worth it. I see your generosity reflected in Christian’s life. Your gifts are so needed, and we are so grateful.”