During her nearly 12 years as a senior desktop operations assistant in Information Services, Spicey Stover has heard countless trauma alerts over Akron Children’s overhead speakers. Each one meant another family was living through the worst day of their lives. She never imagined one day it would be hers. A routine workday changed forever On […]
Patient Stories
Kylie Rose’s Run: 12 years of supporting patient care and cancer research
In 2015, Kylie Rose Jacobs was diagnosed with kidney cancer. She was only 5 years old. She made it through multiple surgeries, chemotherapy, radiation, two occurrences of cancer in her liver and a stem cell transplant. Along the way and continuing today, as Kylie gears up for her senior year at Copley High School, she […]
From the sidelines to state champ: Wrestler fights back from knee injury
For most of his life, wrestling has been a big part of Blake Bartos’ identity. The 18-year-old recently graduated from Buckeye High School in Medina, where wrestling runs deep in his family. Blake started wrestling when he was 6 years old, following in the footsteps of his dad, uncle, cousin and brother, all of whom […]
A lifetime of trust: Family follows eye specialist to Akron Children’s
When Alexa “Lily” Perry was just a month old, her mom, Kristin, noticed something didn’t seem quite right with her daughter’s eyes. “At her 1-month pediatrician appointment, I noticed her eyes were crossing,” Kristin said. “The doctor told us to wait a few months to see if it corrected itself.” But after several months, nothing […]
Taking children’s voices to Capitol Hill: Akron Children’s participates in Family Advocacy Day
When lawmakers make decisions about healthcare policy, conversations often center on budgets, legislation and funding. Family Advocacy Day helps bring those discussions back to what matters most: the children and families whose lives are directly affected by those decisions. “Family Advocacy Day, hosted by the Children’s Hospital Association, brings together patients and families from children’s […]
From surviving to thriving: Family shares daughter’s mental health journey in hope of helping others
Jordyn was always social, active and deeply connected to the people around her. So, when the world shut down during the COVID-19 pandemic, her mother, Andrea, began noticing changes that felt impossible to ignore. “Her depression really started during COVID when everything went to home instruction,” Andrea said. “She’s a very social girl, and suddenly […]
