Avera Children's Champion
The Avera Children's Champion award recognizes how young patients not only cope with their illness or injury, but how they overcome obstacles with patience, courage, strength and even joy.
Our Current Avera Children's Champion
Brody is the cutest four year-old you will ever meet. Brody came to Avera Children’s for abdominal pain on April 1 then off to surgery for an appendectomy. The first night of post-op Brody said to his parents at 11:30pm, "Should we go for one more walk before bed." Brody kept true to his statement because the doctor told him he needed to walk, walk, walk. Throughout Brody hospitalization, he was doubling his walking goals each day. Brody was discharged after spending a week on Pediatrics, but after celebrating his birthday four days later he began to have a stomach ache again. He returned to Avera Children’s with increased abdominal pain along with another surgery. His second hospitalization he became very spoiled by staff while spending a little over a week at Avera.
Jaclyn, RN stated "During Brody’s second stay at Avera he showed us how brave he truly is. The nursing staff asked a lot out of him with all the tasks he had to complete to get better. He did everything we had asked plus more without complaining." All the staff on Pediatrics cheered Brody on after each lap or getting a chance to eat some Cheetos after not being able to eat for a week. Kim, HUC stated "Brody is the bravest four year-old I know, Brody never once complained when he had to complete all his walks, tests, or procedures such as a CAT scan. During Brody’s CAT scan he held so still, keeping his arms up high while holding his dad’s hand. He displayed a great amount of bravery with a smiling attitude." Brody always said thank you to staff even when he wasn’t feeling the best. Once Brody started to feel better he did medical play with the Child Life Specialists and puzzles, painting cars, and syringe painting with his brother and every now and then he would request a CAT scan to see pictures of his tummy. Way to go Brody—you are a true Champion!
Previous Champions
