I am honored to be both a miracle child and a success story. I was born in a Children’s Miracle Network (CMN) Hospital and diagnosed with a Cranial Hemangioma and Developmental Hip Dysplasia - both of which are common in pre-mature female babies. Born with less than a 15% chance of survival, my heart stopped 4 times. Doctors worked to stabilize my respiratory function and a tube was inserted in my
abdomen to provide sustenance. At 5 months surgery was performed to remove my Cranial Hemangioma. Later at an age when most children learn to walk, I was pulling myself around with my arms because I could not stand or walk - my thighbone did not fit properly fit into my hip socket. After consultations where doctors recommended a series of multiple surgeries, including at least two hip replacements, my grandfather, a Shriners member, suggested we go to a Shriners Hospital where they recommended leg braces and extensive physical therapy instead of surgery. I attended three one-hour sessions per week to train and strengthen the ligaments and muscles around my hips. I fell many, many times and each time I got up and kept on going. Therapists were surprised at how persistent I was for such a young child. At 7 years old I held a dress down day and stuffed animal drive with my Grandfather and raised over $400.00 andcollected over 500 new stuffed toys which we took to the children at Shriners Hospital. These first steps put me on the path I am now. Already a Shriners Hospital Gold Award recipient, I plan to continue my outreach and fundraising efforts, and plan to offer my services to them as a Pediatric Orthopedic Surgeon in the future. For the last 9 years I have organized events to raise over $200,000 with 100% of those funds donated to the Philadelphia Shriners Hospital. I have partnered with celebrities including Kid Rock, Foreigner, Styx, Boston and the Eagles speaking in front of audiences of over 30,000 people at benefit concerts about my success and how these organizations need donations and funding in order to create miracles, like me, for other children. I have been on numerous radio and TV stations addressing this issue and was a guest speaker at the Philadelphia Shriners Hospital at their annual Board of Governors meeting where I shared my story. I created ‘Mimi’s Dance Parties’, where I teach dance to both handicapped and non-handicapped children giving encouragement to every child to believe in themselves and their ability to overcome any obstacle by telling my story. My book, Believe in Yourself and Follow Your Dreams – the title inspired by my Grandfather, is being sold through Barnes and Noble. To date I have sold over 1000 books with the proceeds divided between the Shriners Hospitals and the Children’s Miracle Network.Additionally, I have raised over $70,000 for CMN Hospitals through annual dance-a-thons at my high school andorganizing fitness fundraisers. My goal is to raise $1,000,000.00 for each of these hospital systems to help these programs provide needed medical care for children.
