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Meet Our 2016-17 N.M. Champion, Amy

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Meet Steven the Stoma, Ivan the IV and Peter the PICC line. No, these aren’t characters from the next animated blockbuster — they’re the names of Amy’s body parts and medical appliances. Naming the devices used for her procedures is one way this teenager has kept her positive attitude in the face of multiple diagnoses, the most serious being chronic intestinal pseudo-obstruction.

This rare disorder alters the intestinal tract so nutritional requirements cannot be met. Amy’s medical team described her condition as more severe than that of other children with the same condition. She required seven inpatient hospital stays over eight months, which included numerous tests, scopes, scans and ultrasounds.

After a last-resort procedure, Amy’s prognosis is good, and her positive personality is still intact. She enjoys hiking and movie marathons with her best friend. Amy hopes to eventually become a doctor.

How donations helped Amy at UNM Children’s Hospital:  

CMN Hospitals donations provided Amy access to the Beads of Courage program, which helped her to track the milestones of her treatment and talk about what she was experiencing with friends and family.