The "Cover Girl" Story

The cover of Pediatric Insights from the Spring of 2016.

It was an ordinary day.  The little sweetheart we know as KJ has made the cover once again.  It was back in the Spring of 2016 that she made the cover of Pediatric Insights.  The little girl with the neat red glasses was featured in the magazine telling about her liver transplant, donated by a high school classmate of her mother Donya.  This time around she is featured on the cover, as well as a four page interior spread, of the magazine IMPACT which is a publication of Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh.  The cover features a photograph of Dr. Mazariegas, lead Pediatric Transplantation specialist at Children's Hospital, giving Kennedy a big hug.  

Kennedy and her mother Donya.

It was a few years ago that Kennedy visited the Clinic for Special Children in nearby Strasburg, Pennsyvania and was diagnosed with an extremely rare genetic disorder.  They knew she needed the help of a specialist and they knew exactly who to call.  Dr. Kyle Soltys is a transplant surgeon at Children's Hospital who travels to Strasburg to check on a few of his patients.  

The latest cover for UPMC featuring KJ.

One day he was told about Kennedy and after talking with her other doctors, they all agreed that a liver transplant would help correct some of conditions contributing to KJ's rare disease known as AdoHcy deficiency.  Dr. Mazariegas led the team of surgeons who did the living liver transplant for KJ.  The article in the magazine featured the neatest page-and-a half photo of KJ in her jean's jacket with a headline that screamed - Living Hope: Changing the Face of Transplant Medicine.  KJ is the cover girl for some of these remarkable new surgeries.  A final 2/3 page photo features Dr. Mazariegas with KJ on a Big Wheel.  Donya asked if I would frame the article for her and the resulting frame and photos can be seen here.  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.

The framed magazine article.  Click on the image to enlarge.