2020 Champion announced for Orlando Health Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children

Every year, Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals asks each of its member hospitals to identify a “Champion” to serve as the face for the millions of children treated by children’s hospitals annually. These ambassadors spend one year advocating for the charitable need of the hospital where they received their care.

2020 Champion

This year, 8-year-old Lauren Doubleday has been selected as the 2020 CMN Hospitals Champion for Orlando Health Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children, and will spend the year, along with her parents Patrick and Melanie, as an advocate for pediatric healthcare.

The Miracles

When Lauren was born at Orlando Health Winnie Palmer Hospital for Women & Babies, there was no indication that she was anything but a completely healthy baby. The next day, she was taken to complete standard newborn testing in order to prepare their family to go home. Testing took longer than expected and Lauren’s parents, Melanie and Patrick, were informed that she did not passed her Pulse oximetry screening, a test that measures the level of oxygen in the blood.

Following two echocardiograms, the images were clear – they showed that Lauren had a congenital heart defect which required open-heart surgery immediately. In shock and walking into the unknown, Melanie and Patrick crossed the bridge connecting Orlando Health Winnie Palmer to the Pediatric Cardiac Intensive Care Unit at Orlando Health Arnold Palmer where Lauren was prepared for surgery. Amazingly, 11 days after her surgery, Lauren was discharged, and her family was finally able to go home.

Melanie and Patrick are forever grateful for the high level of care that Lauren received, as well as the state-of-the-art equipment that is used at The Heart Center at Orlando Health Arnold Palmer where she will continue her follow up care into adulthood.