Kadence

Thanks to Children’s Health, Kadence is growing, seeing and full of spunk 

Kadence was six months old when she went to live with her grandmother, Deondriea. The tiny baby’s brain hadn’t developed as it was supposed to in utero, and right away, Deondriea noticed that Kadence hadn’t reached many of the milestones a baby her age should meet.  

The first thing Deondriea did was make an appointment with Children’s Health.  

“My granddaughter is everything to me. I wanted the best for her, and I knew Children’s Health had the expertise to give us answers and get Kadence on a healthier path,” she said. “Now Kadence is a proud 5-year-old who loves to play and pretend, but she wouldn’t have come this far without Children’s Health.” 

Children’s Health becomes a second home  

From the first appointment with Saima Kayani, M.D., Deondriea felt like an equal part of Kadence’s medical team.  

“Dr. Kayani really listened to my concerns. She wanted to hear everything that I had been observing. She made me feel like my contribution was valuable to her ability to care for Kadence. It was a great start to our relationship,” she said.  

After an MRI, Dr. Kayani told Deondriea that the piece of Kadence’s brain that was supposed to connect the two hemispheres was missing. She also said the MRI did not reflect what she was seeing in-person.  

“It was just the start, but we were on our way to understanding her medical needs and restoring her health as much as possible,” Deondriea said.  

Deondriea knows everything can’t be treated or cured because some medicines and technologies haven’t been discovered yet. But one of the reasons she chose to bring Kadence to Children’s Health is because of the hospital’s commitment to advancing pediatric medicine through research and improved clinical care. 

“Each time there is something new, the doctors travel down every avenue and come back to me with information that fits Kadence’s needs,” she said. “That’s what every family wants for their child – the best resources and the best experts.”  

By the time Kadence was three years old, she had more than 200 visits to Children’s Health to see experts in ENT, ophthalmology, neurology, pulmonology, endocrinology and physical therapy. Much of Kadence’s care was focused on restoring her lung health, correcting her vision and ensuring that her growth was on the right track.  

One monumental moment came when Kadence was 2 years old. Kadence was born with uneven eyes and had to tilt her head in order to see straight. Additionally, her brain birth defect impacted the development of the optic nerve in her right eye, causing some blindness. Our ophthalmology team performed surgery to tighten and align her eye muscles. Kadence quickly began to sit and stand straighter.  

“The eye surgery is a great example of how dedicated the Children’s Health team is to fulfill their mission to make life better for kids,” Deondriea said. “There have been countless times where extra steps have been made to find an answer or take a precaution. To me, that speaks volumes to who these doctors are and what they believe in.” 

Deondriea’s message to Kadence: “You are perfect.”  

Two of the most important things Deondriea wants Kadence to know are that she is worthy, and she is loved. She is grateful that the Children’s Health team models those same values.  

“The doctors and nurses act like it’s their job to make sure that doors are wide open for her to walk through and discover life,” Deondriea said. “Since day one, everyone has treated Kadence with dignity and love.”

Over the last few years, Deondriea has made a point to talk openly about Kadence’s medical needs.  

“There is a lot of education and changes that need to be made in our world and in society to welcome people who are different,” Deondriea said. “Kadence’s medical needs don’t define her. She’s creative, inquisitive, thoughtful and imaginative. All of those things make Kadence who she is.”   

She believes the positivity and acceptance Kadence has received at Children’s Health is a big part of why she’s determined to discover everything this world has to offer.  

“At Children’s Health, Kadence is encouraged to embrace exactly who she is. It’s why Kadence gives a running hug to her pulmonologist. It’s why she welcomes doctors to join her in hopscotch at the Plano campus,” Deondriea said.  

Deondriea also knows that there are thousands of families who share her gratitude.  

“One of the values at Children’s Health is ‘community’,” she said. “I believe that having the community’s generosity toward children with special needs says a lot about who we are and who we can be.” 

Read more patient stories like Kadence's to learn how Children's Medical Center Foundation impacts the lives of North Texas children.