Meet Chris – A CHOP VIP

Meet Chris! Chris is a CHOP VIP (Very Important Patient). Our CHOP VIP’s are some of our patient ambassador’s that let us share their story and experience with our amazing corporate partners. Chris is just one of our many CHOP VIP’s, and his story below shows how Children’s Miracle Network funds have helped him.

Just days before his third birthday, Christopher was diagnosed with kaposiform hemangioendothelioma, a tumor of the blood vessels, in his right femur and growth plate. The condition is so rare that Chris was the only child at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP) with it and no treatment protocol existed. CHOP’s orthopaedic and oncology specialists worked together to come up with an effective treatment plan for Chris. He underwent chemotherapy for almost two years, countless hours of physical therapy and a total of eight surgeries.

For the past seven years, Chris has been seen through CHOP’s Cancer Survivorship Program, which helps children and their families navigate life after cancer. Today, he is a junior at Devon Preparatory School. He is outgoing and excels in sports as well as his studies. He plays basketball and golf, and also enjoys painting and drawing. He hopes to run a Fortune 500 company one day and at some point run for political office.

“We are very thankful to have Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia in our backyard and can’t express our gratitude and thanks to the many doctors, nurses, administrative staff members and everyone else at CHOP who helped us along the way with this journey,” says his mom, Bethanne.

Funds raised through Children’s Miracle Network support CHOP’s Patient and Family Services programs, which help children like Chris and their families cope with the hospital experience.