What better way to honor a special father than to support life-saving programs.

• The Kunsberg School, a unique day program for chronically ill children. Read more about how the Kunsberg School makes a difference below.
  
  
• NJ4kids, changing the lives of children and their families.

Make a gift and we will send a special Father’s Day card on your behalf, acknowledging your generous gift in his name.*

 

Saving Daddy’s Little Girl

If a man’s daughter is sick, he will do just about anything to make her better. One such father, Wael Adi, found hope in a National Jewish Health physician when his little girl was diagnosed with a rare and life-threatening disease. 

When Wael’s daughter was only one month old, doctors realized she was very sick. She didn’t even have the energy to cry. But the diagnosis was initially unclear so she was admitted to the hospital. “She had no fever, no cough,” recalled Wael. “But something was not right. She was very quiet, and she had lost weight.”

Erwin Gelfand, MD, Chair of Pediatrics at National Jewish Health and an immunologist, found that Yasmine had severe combined immunodeficiency disease (SCID), a rare condition that shuts down the immune system and opens the door to life-threatening infections. Due to the disease, Yasmine lacked an important enzyme called adenosine deaminase (ADA), so Dr. Gelfand immediately began treating Yasmine with an ADA replacement therapy plus gamma globulin to replace missing antibodies.

Still, Yasmine remained sick for many weeks. “At first, every day we thought, ‘today will be the day she comes home,’” said Wael. “But after a while, on our drive home from the hospital we didn’t dare bring up the subject. We almost lost hope,” her father said.

Finally, after more than six months in the hospital, Dr. Gelfand told Wael he could take his daughter home. “It was the happiest day of my life,” said Wael. “It was like she’d been born again.” 

Yasmine has since grown up and entered elementary school. Although Yasmine is not cured, ongoing treatment keeps her healthy for now, and because of that, Wael is a proud and thankful papa.

Listen to Wael talk about his daughter’s treatment.

Your donation will help support patient care and research efforts at National Jewish Health so that other fathers, like Wael, can bring their children home happier and healthier.

*Gift requests made after 5:00pm MST on June 11th may arrive after Father's Day.