Meet Addy
January 30, 2025

Rehabilitation While Being a Kid
Addy is a tenacious seven-year-old who loves art, the beach, and her friends. She also has a chronic condition called CLOVES, which has resulted in overgrowth of her right leg and the amputation of her right foot when she was 18 months old.
In spring 2023, Addy fell ill. Her parents, Karen and Chris, thought she had a common virus, but knew from her condition to call Boston Children’s Hospital if Addy experienced a fever and pain in her affected leg. They decided to make the drive up from their home in Connecticut, but the road was thick with traffic and took hours longer than normal. By the time they arrived, Addy was very sick.
Addy was diagnosed with a severe Group A streptococcal infection, resulting in osteomyelitis in her right hip and ultimately multiorgan system failure. She spent 52 days at Children’s. Addy pulled through, but left unable to walk and without her fingertips, which were lost to sepsis.
While the family desperately wanted to get home to Connecticut, Addy’s care team strongly recommended rehabilitation. Their case manager spoke with them about options and mentioned, “I think you’ll really like Spaulding.”
From the moment they walked into Addy’s new room at Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital in Charlestown, they knew their case manager was right. Karen—who grew up on the water and takes her three children to the beach regularly—took one look at the view of the harbor outside and cried. “It felt like home,” she says. “It gave me serenity, and the feeling that it was all going to be OK.”
Being in Spaulding’s specialized pediatric rehab program was another game-changer. Addy was initially fearful of physical therapy—worried it would hurt—but she connected with her Spaulding physical therapist, who went at Addy’s pace. They even ventured outside to the inclusive playground across from Spaulding, engaging in PT exercises while letting Addy just be a kid, too. “Seeing other kids at Spaulding working on the same things she was doing really normalized the recovery process for Addy,” says Karen.
Karen and her family especially bonded with Addy’s nurse, Jackie, whose demeanor and communication style brought hope and encouragement to their days. “I’m a nurse too, so I know how hard it is,” says Karen. “Jackie had a smile on her face every time she walked into Addy’s room, no matter what.” Jackie set clear expectations for their plan for the day and encouraged Addy out of bed and into a routine. After a few days, Addy was excited to get up and go to therapy!
“To be successful in a pediatric rehab program, you need the right tools for every age group—babies to teens,” says Karen. “Without toys and games, kids can’t just be kids. They need to have fun to be engaged in therapy. These resources make such a difference.” The staff worked with Addy to use special markers and Play-Doh adapted to her hands, making it into therapy. From physical therapy, to occupational therapy, to Child Life activities, everything is intentionally designed to maximize a child’s recovery—and each element receives critical support from our donor community.
Addy was determined to go home and back to school without needing a stroller, walker, or other assistive device to get around. Her team heard these goals and included preparation for return to school into her therapy. Addy proudly walked into the building on her first day back in the fall.
A year after her discharge, Addy, Karen, and the rest of their family chose to give back to Spaulding to help current pediatric patients. They facilitated a toy drive that brought many smiles to the children when gifts were distributed during the holiday season. It was a special moment for the family to be back at Spaulding to help other patients just be kids during their own rehabilitation journeys.
Imagine the Possibilities
At a time when scientific advancements can help make the impossible possible, an investment in rehabilitation medicine has never been more necessary — or more promising.
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