The holidays are when you tend to feel all warm and fuzzy inside: visits from loved ones, kindness from neighbors, maybe even a hot beverage or two. But there’s always room for more cheer, and up on the hill at OHSU Doernbecher Children’s Hospital, there are inspiring stories unfolding that can’t help but put a smile on your face.
Take the bright ray of sunshine that is Izzy, a 6-year-old with a zest for sports and riding her bike, and a sly sense of humor that has everyone in the room laughing within seconds.
Her big personality is all the more astounding considering what she’s gone through early in life. When Izzy’s mother Caira Martino was at her 36-week ultrasound, doctors discovered that Izzy had suffered a stroke in utero, causing a third-degree brain bleed that led to hydrocephalus, a condition in which cerebrospinal fluid builds up in the brain causing pressure and enlargement.
Following an early cesarean section birth, Izzy spent a week in Doernbecher’s neonatal intensive care unit before undergoing a minimally invasive brain surgery: endoscopic third ventriculostomy. That wasn’t as effective as her Doernbecher care team hoped, so she had additional operations to implant a shunt meant to drain excess fluid away from the brain. All told, she had six brain surgeries before her third birthday.
“Izzy is just very resilient,” Caira said. “She’s the most outgoing child I’ve ever met. … She’s not like, ‘I give up,’ quits at life. She just always really tries to do her best.” Her father Joseph Martino added, “There’s never many moments when she’s below the weather emotionally.”
As she grew, Izzy continued to shine and hit every developmental milestone, but in 2023, she developed seizures (a common side effect of hydrocephalus) and now visits the hospital regularly for checkups, all while thriving in kindergarten.
“Whenever we go to Doernbecher, we know that we’re going to get the best care for her and her specific needs,” Caira said.
As we approach the end of the year, now is as good a time as ever to support these courageous families as they navigate the unknown. When you support Doernbecher Children’s Hospital, you’re helping ensure every child has the resources, specialized care and peace of mind they need, so they can focus on what’s truly important — being kids.
That’s the kind of warm, fuzzy feeling that lasts.
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