Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta announces 2021 Miracle Kids

This past week, Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta announced the 2021 Miracle Kids at their annual Moments to Marvel Celebration. Over the course of the next year, Dontavious Newell and Michael Henderson will be sharing their stories with local Children’s Miracle Network partners, and championing their hospital. Here is a little bit more about the 2021 Miracle Kids :

Dontavious Newell is 13 years old, and has visited the hospital more than 200 times. Dontavious was diagnosed with sickle cell disease at just 1 year old, and has been advocating for kids like him ever since. The Aflac Cancer and Blood Disorders Center of Children’s has been there for Dontavious every step of the way. “They treat Dontavious like he’s one of their babies and that’s how you want your child to be treated” says Dontavious’ mother, Shalonda. Today, Dontavious strives to raise as much awareness as possible for sickle cell, and share the importance of self-care. He enjoys playing soccer, and loves to learn – particularly in subjects like math, science, and reading.

Michael Henderson was taken to Children’s Neonatal Intensive Care Unit shortly after he and his twin sister, Madison, were born. There, it was determined that Michael was in congestive heart failure. Michael had a complex form of tetralogy of Fallot, and at just 17 days old, he had his first heart surgery. Michael had two more follow up surgeries, one at 5 months and the third when he was 6 years. Michaels mother, Ashley, recalls that “six weeks after the third surgery, Michael started growing and gaining weight, and he was able to play baseball!”. Today, Michael enjoys baseball, golf, tennis and video games, and he visits the Children’s Heart Center every six to nine months to monitor his heart and pulmonary arteries.

Learn more about Children’s Miracle Kid program at www.choa.org/cmn