Photography provided by Children’s Minnesota
Devastating. It’s the first word that comes to mind when Alicia remembers the day her son Gavin was diagnosed with B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia in March 2021. He was only six years old. The two years that followed were filled with numerous procedures and treatments. Despite the challenges, it’s the compassionate care and support provided by the team at Children’s Minnesota that left lasting memories. “Gavin doesn’t have memories of weekly lumbar punctures,” shares Alicia. “He has memories of playing the animal guessing game with his child life specialist.”
Gavin’s first round of chemotherapy began soon after diagnosis and meant one month of intensive treatment, the first week of which took place in the hospital. What sticks out to Alicia about this time is how the care team worked to turn a difficult situation into a mostly positive experience for her son. The child life specialists played a big role in taking some of the worry out of Gavin’s medical procedures, like when he got a port implanted in his chest.
“Child life was amazing,” says Alicia. “When they were explaining the port that he was going to have placed, they had an Iron Man toy to show him how the port would go. They were saying what was going to happen in a factual but fun and light way. Everything was so relatable to Gavin.”
The supportive care went beyond medical treatments. While in the hospital, he watched and played Bingo on Star Studio, the in-house TV channel at Children’s Minnesota. The healing arts program gave him painting projects to provide positive distractions.
Thankfully testing after Gavin’s first month of chemotherapy classified his leukemia as low risk, meaning it was less likely to spread and would be less difficult to treat. In May 2023, Gavin completed treatment and is now thriving. Most recently, he and his family went on a trip to Arizona where he discovered a love of rock climbing, hiking and horseback riding.
Alicia is grateful for Children’s Minnesota and the kid-centered care the team provides during difficult journeys. “Gavin looks back on his treatment and it wasn’t a bad time,” she shares. “Their care and treatment for kids is just so special.”
The supportive care Gavin received from Child Life, healing arts and Star Studio are offered by the Child and Family Services program at Children’s Minnesota. These services are provided at no cost to patient families and are only possible with philanthropic support.
Child and Family Services is the focus of this year’s Children’s Minnesota Star Gala, one of the biggest nights of the year for the philanthropic community in the Twin Cities. The funds raised at Star Gala 2025 will continue to allow Children’s Minnesota to provide an exceptional experience for patients and their families.
