Nine-year-old Connor Carlisle is ready to go! Connor and his family will be travelling to Washington, D.C. on July 26th to share their experiences with lawmakers and government officials as a part of the 2011 Family Advocacy Day.
Connor's family has plenty of experiences to talk about. Connor was born with a cloverleaf skull and an Arnold-Chiari type 1 malformation, a condition that can cause severe neurologic and cognitive defects. He spent the first two months of his life in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit at All Children's Hospital, where he had a tracheostomy tube placed, received a shunt to divert extra fluid from his brain, and had the first of several surgeries to expand his skull. Connor has had 30 surgeries, most of them at All Children's Hospital, where he also continues his regimen of physical and speech therapy. But don't think that this slows him down! Connor is an energetic and enthusiastic boy, who loves playing with his brother Reid, riding bikes, STAR WARS, video games, and just having fun with his family. Connor recently completed second grade at Shore Acres Elementary, where he is fully included in a regular classroom. He also loves being a Cub Scout with Pack 280. Check out Connor's page on the Family Advocacy Day 2011 blog and leave a message for the Carlisle family!
Family Advocacy Day is an annual event organized by the National Association of Children's Hospitals. The Carlisle family is the sixth family to participate on behalf of All Children's Hospital over the years.
To share a message or to learn more about Family Advocacy Day and the patients treated at children's hospitals nationwide, click here.
You can become an advocate for children and All Children's Hospital by joining our "Voice4AllKids"campaign. When you sign-up, you'll receive clear, brief, background information and suggested ways that you can help. You can choose to receive alerts by e-mail or fax. Please become an AllKids advocate today!
