Amazing Kids, Amazing Stories: Sam's Story
Learn More
Sick Kids Can't Wait
More beds and treatment spaces are needed to care for the growing number of acutely ill children we see at American Family Children's Hospital. Learn about the campaign
Sam Stretchberry is like most seven-year-old boys, he's active, and loves building with blocks. Unlike most other kids though, he has spent a lot of time at American Family Children's Hospital in Madison, Wisconsin.
When Sam was three-years-old, doctors diagnosed him with hemivertebrae and the early stages of scoliosis. As he continued to grow, Sam's mom, Barb, began noticing his left shoulder was higher than the other. That's when Sam was diagnosed with Sprengel's deformity, a congenital deformity.
Kenneth Noonan, MD, orthopedic surgeon at American Family Children's Hospital, proposed a surgery that would help return mobility to his arm, and enable him to live a more normal life.
Sam's recovery was long and sometimes painful, but at a follow-up appointment, Barb received news that made it all worth it.
Sam's Story