Atrium Health Levine Children’s Beverly Knight Olson Children’s Hospital has announced the 2024 Children’s Miracle Network Champion, a 3-year-old girl who will represent the children who receive care at central and south Georgia’s only dedicated pediatric hospital.
On Aug. 25, 2020, Lily Kinsey was born via C-section after doctors discovered she was in a breech position. High levels of bilirubin were detected during her newborn checkup. Doctors diagnosed Lily with ABO Incompatibility, a condition in which a newborn’s blood type is different from the birthing parent’s blood type, which can cause jaundice.
Due to continued high levels of bilirubin, Lily was admitted to Beverly Knight Olson Children’s Hospital where she received light therapy to bring down her bilirubin levels.
“We are glad to have our children’s hospital so close to home. They discovered why Lily was losing weight and helped her get better,” said Ut Chu, Lily’s mom.
Today, Lily is a healthy, active 3-year-old who loves going to school and playing with her friends at the park.
Each year, 170 Children’s Miracle Network (CMN) hospitals nationwide are invited to submit the story of a child treated in their facilities. Children are nominated by hospital teammates, primarily child life specialists and patient access registrars.
“Unfortunately, babies do sometimes need additional medical treatment soon after birth. That’s why we’re so fortunate to have the region’s only dedicated pediatric hospital right here in Macon, just steps away from the Family Birth Center at Atrium Health Navient The Medical Center,” said Renee Bryan, Navicent Health Foundation’s Children’s Miracle Network program director. “We hope that hearing Lily’s story of hope will inspire families and donors. When the community supports Beverly Knight Olson Children’s Hospital, their partnership impacts children like Lily and thousands of other children across central and south Georgia.”
Through support from the community and CMN partners, Beverly Knight Olson Children’s Hospital has made an incredible impact on the lives of children throughout central and south Georgia. The most significant example is the expansion of the children’s hospital five years ago from 60,000 square feet to 160,000 square feet.
More than 10 million children enter children’s hospitals across North America every year. To provide the best of care for kids, children’s hospitals rely on donations and community support, as Medicaid and insurance programs do not fully cover the cost of care. CMN hospitals began in 1983 and help fill those gaps.
For more information about making a donation to benefit Beverly Knight Olson Children’s Hospital, visit navicenthealthfoundation.org. For more information about the children’s hospital, or for help finding a doctor, visit childrenshospitalnh.org.