Ocracoke Sends Love to Shriners Hospital for Children

Crystal Canterbury
Happy Grandma Susie with her sweet grandbaby Adelisa
Happy Grandma Susie with her sweet grandbaby Adelisa

Being a part of the Ocracoke community means people look out for each other.

Sure, not everyone is besties with each other, but the strong sense of community is evident no matter what.

Numerous events have been hosted to raise funds so local groups can offer great opportunities to their members, to help people struggling with unexpected medical costs, and so residents experiencing other types of unexpected hardship can pay their bills while away from work and home for extended periods of time. Recently, the village came together again to help, this time donating money and toys for the Shriners Hospital for Children in Greenville, South Carolina.  Here’s what happened:

I feel confident when I say everyone who lives here knows Susie Hutchinson. She owns and operates Halo Hair Studio  as the sole hair stylist in the village, advocates for animals’ rights, and recently became a grandma!

What a cutie!
What a cutie!

Adelisa was born to Susie’s son Chad and daughter-in-law Kymberlie in August 2015, and from the moment she entered the world she brought overwhelming joy to her parents and grandparents. Her happy family was also greatly concerned for Adelisa. Before her birth, doctors discovered Adelisa would be born with Amniotic Band Syndrome (ABS), a condition which occurs when the fetus become entangled in string-like amniotic bands. Entanglement prevents blood from circulating normally, and the affected areas can develop improperly, leading to a wide range of physical deformities.  

ABS occurs randomly and cannot be prevented, and it not caused by anything the mother did or didn’t do. It’s not genetic and it is highly unlikely to affect a fetus in a future pregnancy. The impacts of ABS can be mild to severe; some infants are born with parts of their fingers or toes missing, while others lose entire limbs. Adelisa was born with a more severe case of ABS, and when the doctors told the new parents their first born may never walk due to extreme banding around her legs, they reached out to the Shriners Hospital for Children in Greenville, SC.

Ocracoke Sends Love to Shriners Hospital for Children

Once their application was processed and Adelisa was admitted, treatment began almost immediately. Adelisa is showing remarkable progress thanks to the skilled doctors at the Shriners Hospital, and her treatment will continue. The doctors have her on a treatment path that will enable her to walk, but despite the challenges facing her, Adelisa remains a happy, energetic, and sweet baby.

Susie has done a lot of traveling since Adelisa’s birth and in doing so learned a lot about the hospital. The non-profit organization is operated solely from donations, and not only provides top of the line medical care for children, but also works and conducts studies so their treatment methods are continuously improving. The hospitals also provide a warm family setting for treatment and they accept patients for treatment regardless of their parents’ ability to pay.

In light of all this, Susie was inspired to give back to the Shriners Hospital for Children. She began a campaign through  Halo Hair Studio to raise funds and supplies for the children who are receiving treatment. The hospital provided lists of items they use regularly for arts and crafts, games, and other activities which allow the children to be kids and take a break from the weight of being patients. And the generosity from Ocracoke residents, once again and not surprisingly, was outstanding.

Adelisa and her daddy
Adelisa and her daddy

The week of Christmas, Susie loaded her vehicle with toys and games and monetary donations and headed to the mainland, where Shriners met her and transported the fun stuff to the hospital in Greenville, SC.

Susie wants to give a big, public “THANK YOU!” to everyone who donated to the Shriners Hospital for Children where Adelisa is receiving treatment. The compassion and kindness she experienced from the village has been wonderful, and the children at the hospital have greatly benefitted.

To learn more about the Shriners' network of children's hospitals, click here.

 

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