Riley Children's Health

08/09/2026

A brush fire severely injured 7-year-old Axton Pugh. He was life flighted to Riley with severe burns covering almost half of his body. While he started healing on his own, the caring and determined team used a special spray made with his own skin cells to treat his wounds. ❤️‍🩹

Initially, July 11 was like many other days in Axton Pugh's life; he was watching his dad burn some brush after his dad returned home from working at his…

08/07/2026

“You bring the milk, we’ll bring the cookies!” read a sign inside Riley’s Maternity Tower today as lactating mothers were invited to grab a sweet treat in honor of the hard work they’re doing through breastfeeding.

“Sometimes it can be lonely work for our moms, pumping especially in the NICU, and so we really wanted to honor their work, honor their love for their babies, and just remind them that we see them and that we appreciate them,” Anna Heath, a lactation consultant with Riley Children’s Health, said.

Our lactation consultants set up this special cookie bar during World Breastfeeding Week, an annual observance dedicated to raising awareness of breastfeeding and its benefits while supporting breastfeeding families.

08/07/2026

11-month-old Maycie Collman Boyd has lived in the hospital since she was born prematurely at just under 27 weeks. Since most of her life's been spent at Riley Hospital, she's also celebrated certain milestones here. Most recently, Maycie received her first haircut inside her room on Riley's PICU!

Cosmetologist Danielle McBride did the honors. As a mother of former patients, Danielle said she understands the importance of celebrating big events in a child's life - even if it happens in a hospital room.

08/06/2026

Anyone would be surprised to learn all Navy Northam - whose middle name is aptly Joy - has endured in her short two years of life. The smiley little girl was born on August 22, 2024, with a rare heart condition called Shone's complex.

Maliyah Northam, Navy's mom, said she feels Riley Children's Health prepared her and her husband, Daniel, for Navy's birth and diagnosis.

Anyone would be surprised to learn all Navy Northam - whose middle name is aptly Joy - has endured in her short two years of life. The smiley little girl…

08/06/2026

Grayce Meinardi, 11, has a sign painted on her hospital door which refers to her as “the original 6-7.” If you’re a parent you probably know the term from your children, and if you were at the Indy 500 Drivers’ visit in May you might have seen Grayce posing for a 6-7 group photo. Coincidentally she was wearing a 6-7 sweatshirt when she was photographed at Riley Hospital for Children Monday. Monday was the 151st day that Grayce has been an inpatient while she receives treatment for AML (Acute myeloid leukemia). She was able to go home three times briefly in-between chemotherapy treatments, but otherwise she has been at Riley since her diagnoses on Jan. 25th. Her recovery journey has not been easy, but she was fortunate to have found a 100 percent match with her stem cell donor. She is now, for the most part, back to her old self and enjoying the things that she has always enjoyed. These include playing her video games, calling her friends, and spending time with her sister, Scarlet, and her parents (she is pictured with her mother, Emilie Meinardi). She will be starting the sixth-grade soon and will spend the school year learning from home with the help of a tutor. This will help protect her as her immune system strengthens after immunodeficiency caused by AML.

08/05/2026

An EVS team member is the grandmother everyone deserves in the hospital.

08/05/2026

Before a Riley patient undergoes a stem cell transplant, you might hear a tune similar to Happy Birthday ringing throughout 5 East.

Our patient's doctors, nurses, techs, pharmacists and other team members gather outside the room to sing Happy Cell Day before their transplant begins. It's another fun and simple way Riley shows patients they care. 🩺❤

You can read Krue's story here: https://www.rileychildrens.org/connections/leukemia-patient-prepares-for-friday-transplant-using-dads-donated-cells?fbclid=IwY2xjawTgUNtwZG9mBWV4dG4DYWVtAjExAHNydGMGYXBwX2lkEDIyMjAzOTE3ODgyMDA4OTIAAR6W-N9JOc2RkLHYku0vjPX9X9F3WvqCOk2CvYlyuL6l2vLGPVmQvMx_AxOhrA_aem_hK-VjoVlKA-XygwcXuKhsA

08/04/2026

First birthdays are a big deal, especially when you’ve spent most of your first year in the hospital. Twins Madilynn and Makenna Eggers have made up for lost time together since they were reunited at home in Columbus, Indiana, earlier this year. The twins, who were born July 21, 2025, in the Riley Hospital for Children Maternity Tower at just 27 weeks’ gestation, were separated after Madilynn was discharged last November, but Makenna was not ready to go home until March. Makenna suffered from selective growth restriction in the womb and has been trying to catch up ever since. Born weighing 1.03 pounds while her sister was double her size at birth, Makenna also was diagnosed with a congenital heart defect and had multiple surgeries. But she is flourishing at home alongside Madilynn and big brother Wyatt. Makenna now weighs 16½ pounds, and Madilynn weighs 20 pounds. Parents Derek and Shelby Eggers couldn’t be happier to have their family all together, and a birthday party July 25 with plenty of pink and purple balloons was the perfect chance to celebrate. “They’re both doing very well,” Shelby said of her girls. “They get along great, though Madilynn likes to try to pull off Makenna’s glasses. Makenna is so happy all the time; she loves to smile and just look at her brother and sister. She is our miracle baby.” Both girls return to Riley frequently for follow-up visits with specialists.
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08/03/2026

Playgrounds are a great place for children to stay active, build confidence and have fun, but they can also be a common source of injuries. As kids head back to school and return to recess and after-school activities, explore these simple tips from Riley Children's Health Orthopedics & Sports Medicine to help prevent common playground injuries and keep playtime safe.

Playground injuries can range from minor scrapes and bruises to more serious injuries such as dislocations and broken bones. Here's how to avoid them.

08/03/2026

“I hope it gives encouragement to see a 39-year-old congenital heart kid standing on top of a mountain.”