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Cardinal Glennon patient Nikki Warnecke playing the banjo

Nikki Warnecke

Nikki Warnecke was an outgoing, ambitious, and hardworking girl who followed closely in the footsteps of her older sister, Mallory. She loved music – she played banjo for her bluegrass band, the Pickin’ Chicks. In July of 2015, she was enjoying her summer break before starting her senior year at New Athens High School, where…

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Cardinal Glennon patient Max Ernest

Max Ernest

Jessica and Mykel Ernest from Poplar Bluff, Missouri were happily expecting their second child in early 2019, when the unexpected happened. At 20 weeks and 6 days, Jessica began losing amniotic fluid. This was devastating news to the couple, as both knew the risks of this happening so early in her pregnancy. Though she was…

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Cardinal Glennon patient Meleya Haberberger

Meleya Haberberger

In December 2008, Tiffany Haberberger found out at 17 weeks of pregnancy that her unborn daughter had a very complex congenital heart defect known as hypoplastic left heart.  For a child with this heart defect, most of the left side of the heart is small and underdeveloped. This usually affects the mitral valve, the aortic valve,…

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Beckham Bass

Seven-year-old Beckham is the son of Greg and Trish Bass and brother to 9-year-old Annalyn. Last summer, Beckham began experiencing stomach and leg pain and running an unexplained fever. One day in late July, he was playing baseball when he began limping and having difficulty running the bases. The next morning, blood work results led…

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Luke Beck

Luke Robert Beck is the 9-year-old son of Danny and Ronda Beck. He is the sixth of seven children in his family, having three brothers and three sisters. Luke started his journey at SSM Health Cardinal Glennon on May 19, 2017 at the age of 7, when he was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia. Luke’s…

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Micheal Vu - Cardinal Glennon kid

Micheal Vu Jr.

On July 27, 2016, Micheal Vu Jr. was born six weeks early. Unknown to his parents, Melissa and Micheal Vu, their son had multiple congenital anomalies. Micheal Jr. was born with a tethered cord, anal atresia, multiple cardiac defects, tracheoesophageal fistula, cleft palate, renal defects, a limb abnormality (his right hand does not have a…

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Cardinal Glennon patient Lillian Wilson

Lillian Wilson

Sarah Wilson, and her husband, Jeremy, dreamed of having another baby. After going through IVF and a miscarriage, they feared that dream may never come true, until they received a positive pregnancy test. When Sarah was 26 weeks pregnant, they learned that their unborn baby had a congenital heart defect. Upon recommendation from her obstetrician,…

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Cardinal Glennon kid Lily Ward

Lily Elizabeth Ward

“You never think it is going to happen to you. One day you’re sitting in the doctor’s office talking about what you’re going to make for dinner that night… The next minute the doctor comes in and is telling you that your baby will need open heart surgery after she is born.” This is how…

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Lakynn Haver - Cardinal Glennon kid

Lakynn Haver

Jennifer Haver remembers her pregnancy with daughter, Lakynn, now two years old, very vividly. In the early months, she was closely monitored by her obstetrician at SSM Health St. Joseph Hospital-Lake St. Louis for depression, anxiety, fatigue and tachycardia. Jennifer was placed on medication to address these symptoms and remained out of work for a…

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Cardinal Glennon patient Aiden Milner as a baby

Aidan Milner

Baby Aidan was born at 23 weeks gestation at St. Anthony’s Medical Center. It was an unexpected and unanticipated early arrival. After a few short days, Aidan was transferred to the NICU at SSM Health Cardinal Glennon Children’s Hospital. He spent the next 70 days there, with what mother, Carla recalls as “so many ups…

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