Arkansas Children’s Northwest

01/01/2026

About one in every 33 babies is born with a birth defect, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

At Arkansas Children’s, the Arkansas Reproductive Health Monitoring System (ARHMS) works to identify and track patterns of birth defects across the state, helping support critical scientific research.

Learn more about ARHMS at Arkansas Children’s: bit.ly/ARHMS, and join the nationwide effort to raise awareness of birth defects, their causes and their impact.

12/31/2025

It’s the last day of 2025! 🎉 But there’s still time to make an impact on the children of Arkansas and the surrounding regions.

Make a year-end gift today and it will be matched up to $200,000 thanks to a generous, anonymous donor.

You can make an impact in the lives of children like Ryan. Give today at bit.ly/YearEndAC

12/30/2025

Seven-year-old Arkansas Children’s patient Locke Keller was honored as at last night's Arkansas Razorback Men's Basketball game, and he was joined on court by our very own President and CEO, Marcy Doderer! ❤️🐗🏀

Diagnosed with Tetralogy of Fallot just six hours after birth, Locke has faced a complex heart condition made up of four defects that prevent his heart from pumping blood efficiently throughout his body. Before his first birthday, he bravely underwent two open-heart surgeries and, most recently, a third surgery in February 2025 to replace his pulmonary valve.

Today, Locke visits the cardiology clinic at Arkansas Children’s every six months for ongoing monitoring and care. In between appointments, he loves golf, musical theater and cheering on Razorback Basketball.

Locke is also a Children's Miracle Network Hospitals 2025 National Champion, representing kids across the country and advocating for support of children’s hospitals across the U.S. and Canada.

Go Locke and go Hogs!

12/30/2025

Your year-end gift helps children like brothers Cole and Ryan Allison receive expert, compassionate care. 💙 And thanks to a $200,000 matching gift from a generous, anonymous donor, your year-end gift will go twice as far!

Make your gift by December 31 and YOU can make an impact for children across Arkansas and the surrounding regions!

Give now: bit.ly/YearEndAC

12/25/2025

'Tis the season for a little extra cheer! 🎄🌟❣️

Our team members embraced the spirit at our Holiday Cheer Celebration last week, complete with cheesy sweaters and gingerbread house competitions. ✨🍪

From all of us at Arkansas Children's Northwest, happy holidays!

12/23/2025

At just 14, MacKenzie Maddry faced more than most kids ever should: a rare bone cancer diagnosis, followed by end-stage heart failure that required a life-saving heart transplant.

Today, MacKenzie is back home with her family and looking forward to the holidays, because of the compassionate, expert care she received at Arkansas Children’s.

This holiday season, your support helps give hope to kids like MacKenzie across Arkansas. 💙 Watch MacKenzie's journey to give today.

In October 2020, a painful bump appeared near 14-year-old MacKenzie Maddry's knee. After being referred to Arkansas Children's Hospital for testing, MacKenzi...

12/22/2025

A year-end gift to Arkansas Children's means hope for families. Strength for siblings. And life-changing care for children across Arkansas and the surrounding regions.

Thanks to a $200,000 match from a generous, anonymous donor, your gift will be doubled—which means it will make twice the difference.

Give by December 31 and double your impact: bit.ly/YearEndAC

12/19/2025

What is achalasia, and how is it treated?

Pediatric gastroenterologist and director of Arkansas Children’s neurogastroenterology and motility program, Dr. John Rosen, explains early symptoms of this rare condition, how it's diagnosed and the most effective treatment options available today.

12/19/2025

Finish your holiday shopping and let us take care of the wrapping! 🎁 The Arkansas Children's Northwest (ACNW) Terri and Chuck Erwin Gift Shop is offering free gift wrapping with any gift shop purchase tomorrow, Friday, December 19, from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Every purchase makes a difference—proceeds from the ACNW Gift Shop support hospital operations and community benefit budgets.

Stop by, support ACNW and check another thing off your holiday to-do list! ✨

12/18/2025

When AJ began experiencing pain while eating and weight loss as a result, acid reflux seemed like the answer. But as symptoms persisted, AJ's family and care team at Arkansas Children’s worked side by side to uncover the real cause.

Watch AJ’s full journey: bit.ly/WhenEatingHurts

12/17/2025

What do you do when eating hurts?

In the months leading up to an ER visit, 12-year-old AJ said eating felt “like food was getting stuck, like there was pressure.” The discomfort caused him to eat less, but he stayed active, burning calories faster than he could replace them and causing significant weight loss.

An X-ray at the hospital revealed something rarely seen in children: achalasia, a rare motility disorder that weakens the muscles and nerves needed to eat and drink.

Watch AJ’s journey and learn how a surgical procedure at Arkansas Children’s helped him gain his health, weight and energy back.

12/17/2025

When 12-year-old Aaron “AJ” Robinson arrived at the Arkansas Children’s Hospital emergency room with severe chest pain, an X-ray revealed something uncommon in children: achalasia, a rare motility disorder that weakens the muscles and nerves needed to eat and drink.

In the months leading up to his ER visit, AJ said it felt “like food was getting stuck, like there was pressure.” Many conditions, including GERD and eosinophilic esophagitis, share similar symptoms, which can make diagnosis challenging.

Thanks to the quick thinking of AJ’s care team and specialists in our neurogastroenterology and motility program based at Arkansas Children's Northwest, AJ received answers — and a treatment plan — without delay.

Learn more about AJ's journey: bit.ly/AJsJourney