Children's Healthcare Marcus Autism Center

04/05/2026

As he waited more than 200 days for a heart transplant, Khumeri did what he does best—he made lots of friends and grew especially close to his care team. His mom says, “Khumeri’s purpose during his time at Children’s wasn’t just to receive a new heart, but to spread joy to everyone around him,” which is exactly what he did.

Khumeri just rang the bell and made it home in time to celebrate his 6th birthday today, full of Sonic the Hedgehog toys, of course.

04/04/2026

Just days before Christmas, a horseback riding accident sent 15-year-old Payton to our Scottish Rite Hospital with a severe grade 4 kidney laceration. Thanks to her care team’s quick diagnosis and exceptional care, she made it home just time for the holidays and was back to horseback riding a short nine weeks later.

04/02/2026

When Lane came to us following prior surgeries and care for his discoid meniscus, he was in significant pain and unable to bend his knee.

Knowing that Lane was nervous about further treatment, Dr. Cliff Willimon, Chief of our Orthopedics and Sports Medicine Center, went above and beyond to explain his injury in a way that Lane could understand and made sure they were on the same level every step of the way.

Thanks to Dr. Willimon, Lane was comfortable to move forward with additional surgeries and is back to being a kid again. He can now run around with friends and plans to play baseball in the fall—all pain-free!

04/01/2026

Michelle's journey from liver failure to recovery is a powerful reminder of the lifesaving impact of organ donation.

When an undiagnosed autoimmune hepatitis disorder brought Michelle to our emergency department at Arthur M. Blank Hospital, her family was in shock when they learned she was in end-stage liver failure and would need a transplant.

Over the next two months, she worked closely with our transplant team through evaluations and testing to prepare her body for surgery. On November 11, her family got the call they will never forget: Michelle was getting a liver transplant.

After a 11-hour surgery, led by our pediatric transplant surgeons, Dr. Bhargava Mullapudi and Dr. Richard Hendrickson, Michelle was given a second chance at life thanks to the gift of an organ donor.

04/01/2026

Breaking the ground on an exciting new chapter at Northside Youth Organization!

NYO's new community center, coming late 2026, will house our newest physical therapy clinic, volunteer trainings, as well as opportunities to have our athletic trainers onsite during events.

Children's and NYO have been long standing partners in supporting youth athletes both on and off the field. As the official Sports Medicine Partner of NYO, we are committed to providing the resources that young athletes need to participate in sports safely and get the support they need when injuries arise.

03/31/2026

Child Life Month on film! 📸

03/30/2026

This , we are celebrating our exceptional doctors who go above and beyond for our patients every day, making them feel special and cared for. Want to recognize your child’s doctor? We're passing the mic over to you. Share your photos and stories that highlight what our doctors mean to you.💚

03/24/2026

Say hello to our final 2026 Miracle Child, Mallory! ✨💚

Mallory's journey started when she was thirteen—she kept getting sick and couldn't bounce back. After coming to Children’s for answers, she was diagnosed with ICF syndrome, a rare condition that affects the immune system.

Mallory underwent a bone marrow transplant and chemotherapy at our Aflac Cancer & Blood Disorders Center to help her body grow new cells to fight infections and build a stronger immune system. Throughout treatment, Mallory maintained a positive and determined spirit, leading her to proudly ring the end-of-treatment bell.

Today, she carries that same unstoppable spirit into everyday life. Watch her full story here: https://bit.ly/4d4QfNl.

03/23/2026

This marks 11th years since Holland's life-saving brain surgery.

After suffering a concussion in middle school, Holland had an MRI at Children’s that revealed a small benign brain tumor. A few years later when it started to grow, two of our neurosurgeons, Dr. Andrew Reisner and Dr. Joshua Chern, performed a nine-hour surgery to remove the tumor. Holland then spent three days in the ICU, followed by three months of intensive physical and occupational therapy. Through her incredible resilience and determination, she was able to regain full feeling and function on the right side of her body and relearn everyday skills like walking, brushing her teeth and tying her shoes.

Inspired by the care she received here at Children's, Holland returned years later to work at our neurosurgery clinic where she was once a patient. Today, she serves as a specialty scheduler—working alongside the very doctors who saved her life.

03/22/2026

Here's to Bennett's baseball comeback story. ⚾

After five months off the field for an elbow injury, Bennett thought he was ready to return to the diamond, but when he experienced pain again he knew he had not fully recovered.

He was referred to Dr. Crystal Perkins, Medical Director for Orthopedic Quality and Outcomes at Children's, who diagnosed and treated his elbow OCD. Bennett had a surgery called osteochondral allograft transplant, which uses donor bone and cartilage to treat his injury. This innovative procedure performed and studied by our sports medicine surgeons, results in highly successful return to sport compared to prior surgical treatments.

Following a successful surgery and recovery, Bennett is back on the diamond and chasing big goals: college baseball and a future helping others as a physical therapist.

03/21/2026

Join Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta and the Atlanta Braves for the 23rd Annual Spring Classic baseball game at Truist Park. ⚾

Watch University of Georgia and Georgia Tech square off on Tuesday, April 21. While you’re there, grab a photo with mascots Hope and Will, BLOOPER, Hairy Dawg and Buzz!

All proceeds will benefit our Aflac Cancer & Blood Disorders Center. Buy your tickets today: https://give.choa.org/site/SPageNavigator/SpringClassic/spring_classic_landing_page.html&s_src=mkt-fb&s_subsrc=S-SPRCL2026&cid=na1_ch-sn_s-fb_crx-sprclsc_na5_na6.

03/20/2026