Maya
Hometown Guelph in Ontario, Canada
Diagnosis: Gastroparesis
Age on Race Day: 12
Maya has gastroparesis, a disorder affecting the stomach nerves and muscles, making the digestive system too slow. Her doctors in her home country, Canada, thought Maya would be a good candidate for IB-Stim, a treatment from a small electrical device that helps reduce abdominal discomfort. Unfortunately, however, the device is not available in Canada. Knowing it could improve her quality of life, Maya’s parents looked into traveling for this treatment and reached out to Nationwide Children's Hospital.
“I connected first with the Gastroenterology team and further connected me with the hospital’s Global Patient Services team,” recalls Maya’s mom, Sarah. “From then, I greatly benefitted from their support. They were mindful of the fact that we were traveling internationally and worked with us to ensure her treatments were done during the summer to limit school absences.”
Maya and her family made the seven-hour drive from their hometown in Canada to Ohio four times in July 2024 for placement of the device. With the help of Global Patient Services, they were able to stay at the Ronald McDonald House and make the most of their time in Columbus by visiting several museums and exploring the city.
“It is always scary when your child needs care at a hospital, and we had the added complication of needing care in another country,” Sarah shares. “But we chose well with Nationwide Children’s and truly felt the passion of the staff, working together to make the experience as positive as possible.”
Maya
Hometown Guelph in Ontario, Canada
Diagnosis: Gastroparesis
Age on Race Day: 12
