Hannah’s nominator Laura writes “Hannah is known around ESP as a beautiful smile, a sweet hand to hold & a social butterfly. Hannah is a friend to all and never meets a stranger and for a good reason. Not only does Hannah have the personality to light up a room, but Hannah has grown up around “camp”. Hannah and her family have chosen to selflessly give their lives serving Camp Twin Lakes. Her dad, Dan, is the Camp Director and helps provide a residential facility for camps like ESP and others who serve children with terminal illnesses. Although the job began long before Hannah, it is through their selfless devotion that they were prepared to look at Hannah as a blessing. While her mother was 18 weeks pregnant with Hannah, they received news that she has a partial midline-clef and could possibly have a number of other issues such a a brain disorder and a heart condition. When she was born, Hannah’s parents were overwhelmed yet thrilled that she was progressing despite her physical state such as being able to eat using a special bottle. She was diagnosed with a rare and mild form of holoprosencephaly and theywere told at two weeks she may not live. At her two week check- up @ CHOA they were told she was losing weight but they refused to put her on a feeding tube and instead persevered. Hannah never had to use one. She soon started gaining weight and they figured out how to balance her calorie intake with the amount she burned eating. The family was told she would never walk and 18 months she started walking. Doctors said she would probably never talk due to her severe cleft and apraxia and while she is difficult to understand and her speech is limited, she is gaining more words and phrases daily! Despite 5 major surgeries, and several more still to come, Hannah is a very happy, energetic, joyful, and empathetic 7 year old little girl. She continues to prove doctors wrong. For this, I nominate the one who lights up a room, Hannah. I nominate her and her family for their dedication to such a worthy cause. Hannah and her family not only continue to journey through life despite these challenges while also making a difference in the life of others, but they do so with a smile.”
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