Chelsea Howell

Written by Chelsea's mom, Sherrie Howell

Chelsea is a straight-A student and recently finished 10th grade. She currently volunteers at the Home of The Innocents and works with disabled kids at the home and she is going to work at a day care center this summer. We really couldn't have asked for a better year for Chelsea. We realize there are going to be ups and downs with chronically ill children, but it is very nice to have more ups than downs in the past. Chelsea hasn't been in the hospital since Dr. Sutherland saw her and did her surgery which is almost two years in July. Our family can't thank you and the University of Minnesota enough for everything! You work miracles for these children and give them back their lives. We had many doctors tell us we would be crazy to do this surgery for our daughter and that I was an unfit mother, but we followed our heart and worked to find a solution for Chelsea's terrible pain associated with eating all the time and to get her off all the narcotics she was living on in the past. It is not a life for anyone to live, especially young children. Thanks for everything!