Sydnie's Story
Sydnie Pike is a complicated kid. She’s 12 but gets mistaken for a toddler (which she finds very annoying). She loves to cook, but can’t eat so many of the things she likes. She’s a take-charge kind of girl, but is faced with challenges no amount of moxie can overcome. Sydnie has Schwachman-Diamond Syndrome, a rare disease that’s often hard to diagnose because it involves so many organ systems. S-D children typically have low white blood cell counts and difficulty absorbing nutrients, including vitamins from food. They have lung problems similar to children with cystic fibrosis, as well as problems with bone growth, and they’re susceptible to life-threatening infections. “And Sydnie, not to be outdone, actually has a few other things thrown in that make her a little more complex,” said Dr. Paul LoDuca, a pediatric hematologist-oncologist at The Medical Center who specializes in diagnosing and treating children in our region with blood disorders and cancers. Sydnie has something else that makes her stand out from the crowd. “She is a classic trouper kid,” Dr. LoDuca said. “She’s overwhelmingly tough and doesn’t moan or complain about the cards she’s been dealt.”
Katherine McPhee sings to Sydnie
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