Rady Children’s Wild Walkabout Patient Ambassadors
Make a difference for kids like Addy, Francie, Kamila and Lincoln through your support of Rady Children’s Wild Walkabout.
Meet Addy
After Addy failed her standard hearing test just after birth, testing by Rady Children’s experts revealed that she was deaf and hard of hearing. Her care team equipped Addy with hearing aids at 4 months old, and the now 7-year-old is thriving with full hearing abilities.
Meet Lincoln
An eye infection, chronic ear infections and struggles gaining weight resulted in young Lincoln being diagnosed with Shwachman-Diamond Syndrome, a condition affecting many parts of the body and preventing bone marrow from producing white blood cells. Specialized treatment and care from Rady Children’s, including annual bone marrow biopsies, has enabled the now 10-year-old to recover and manage his condition, and inspired him to help other kids facing medical challenges.
Meet Francie
Unsure what their daughter’s outcome would be after learning that she had an enlarged heart with two holes while in utero, Francie’s parents were surprised when she was born healthy enough to go home after just four days. Before she turned 1 year old, Francie underwent open-heart surgery to repair the holes, and the almost 2-year-old is now talking, singing and dancing along with her big brother and sister.
Meet Kamila
Born with the most serious form of rare genetic blood disorder thalassemia, which requires lifelong blood transfusions every two weeks, 11-year-old Kamila and her parents have found a second home and family at Rady Children’s. Through multiple surgeries, inpatient stays, ER visits, appointments, MRIs and X-rays as well as countless blood tests and 100+ blood transfusions, they remain grateful to have access to high-quality care that allows Kamila to live life to the fullest.