Liz Balizet of Navarre, Ohio didn’t realize the great pediatric care that’s available in northeast Ohio until her first child was diagnosed with a complex heart condition. Liz’s 20-week ultrasound showed problems with her baby boy’s heart. She and her husband, Jake, received a referral to the Akron Children’s Heart Center. “We went out to […]
Cleveland Magazine’s “Best Doctors” include 24 Akron Children’s providers
Every year, Cleveland Magazine publishes a list of the best doctors in northeast Ohio. Doctors complete a survey to evaluate and nominate their peers for this recognition. Congratulations to these Akron Children’s providers who made the 2025 Best Doctors list: Scott Boulanger, MD – Pediatric General Surgeon Jessica Castonguay, DO, MPH – Adolescent Medicine Specialist […]
From prenatal heart diagnosis to graduation
It’s a special time for 18-year-old Ian Cadwallader. He recently graduated from Cuyahoga Falls High School and will start college in the fall at The Ohio State University Mansfield Campus. While he’s focused on the future, he’s also taking time to look back on his life. That includes care he’s received from before birth at […]
Sam smiles and sings, despite Marfan syndrome challenges
Sam Jimenez was born prematurely at 32 weeks’ gestation, weighing 6 pounds and 12 ounces. He grew significantly, and at age 6, his pediatrician referred him to an orthopedic specialist for bone problems often connected to Marfan syndrome. The genetic disorder affects the body’s connective tissue, which holds cells, tissues and organs together – and […]
Wyatt’s journey through three open-heart surgeries
Wyatt Miller of Newcomerstown was a rambunctious toddler. There were no signs of a serious, congenital heart defect that would change his life forever. At a checkup when he was 20 months old, Wyatt’s doctor detected a heart murmur. A week later, Wyatt returned to the doctor’s office because of an ear infection, and a […]
From operating room to viral stardom: 10-year-old gains a following on TikTok
Aubree Blake, age 10, is a bit of a TikTok star thanks to her candid videos sharing her experiences as a young lady living with a heart condition. At 8 days old, Aubree was diagnosed with a coarctation of the aorta, a birth defect where a portion of the aorta is narrower than usual causing […]
