Navicent Health

GETTING BACK THE COLLABORATIVE EFFORTS OF CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL, NAVICENT HEALTH SPECIALISTS HELPED YOUNG MORGAN "TAYLOR" HARRISON BEAT THE ODDS. In July 2012, 11-year-old Taylor confronted a startling reality when she was diagnosed with wild-type gastrointestinal stromal tumor (GIST), an exceptionally rare cancer of the digestive system for which there is currently no eective chemotherapy treatment. "Taylor had become very pale and thin, and she had no energ y," says Kelly Harrison, Taylor's mother. "We knew something was wrong." Kelly promptly made an appointment with Taylor's pediatrician, who diagnosed Taylor with severe anemia and a potential gastrointestinal bleed. From there, Taylor was referred to a team of Children's Hospital, Navicent Health multidisciplinary specialists, who found and removed a bleeding, golf ball-sized tumor from Taylor's stomach. ey also removed part of her stomach. Unfortunately, this startling diagnosis and experience wasn't the end of Taylor's story—more challenges loomed for the preteen. ONE FOR THE BOOKS In December 2014 — less than two years aer winning her battle with cancer—Taylor was diagnosed with severe scoliosis. "We initially tried to treat her scoliosis with a back brace," Kelly says, "but her pain was excruciating, and aer several X-rays, we found the scoliosis had rapidly progressed and required surgery." No strangers to hardship, the Harrisons persevered, seeking surgical treatment and care from Eric Lincoln, DO, pediatric orthopedic surgeon with CHNH, who informed them that Taylor needed a spinal fusion to correct her spinal abnormality. "I was extremely nervous," Kelly says. "I was worried how this surgery would aect her future. Taylor was an avid horseback rider, and I was very fearful that aer everything she'd been through, she wouldn't be able to continue riding horses and doing the things she loves." Taylor's already complex case soon became even more complicated. In the same month, Taylor received more bad news: e cancer had returned, and a new tumor was growing in nearly the same place as the rst. Her care team recommended spine surgery before they surgically removed the recurrent cancer. Taylor's back surgery was scheduled in January. Dr. Lincoln used the Renaissance™ Guidance System to plan and perform the procedure. THE SPIRIT OF HOPE Taylor faced seemingly insurmountable challenges, but the young girl with a erce spirit overcame them. "Taylor's spine surgery and recovery went very smoothly," Dr.Lincoln says. "She was walking the day aer her surgery. Part of her remarkable recovery was due to her consistently positive attitude through everything. She was always cool, calm and collected." Less than a year aer her successful spine surgery, Taylor faced another surgery in October 2015 to remove the recurrent stomach cancer. She continues to have CT scans every six months, but she is doing well—and she's back in the saddle again, riding horses to her heart's content. Donations to Navicent Health Foundation help make exceptional care available to patients like Taylor. To support the Foundation and its eorts to save the lives of those in need, visit www.navicenthealth.org/ foundation. RENAISSANCE TM GUIDANCE SYSTEM The Renaissance™ Guidance System is a surgical tool that allows surgeons to visualize spine procedures beforehand using 3-D planning software. This computer program enables surgeons to create a blueprint of a patient's surgery and review each step of the operation. The Renaissance™ Guidance System features a unique mounting unit that surgeons place over the surgical area for guidance during procedures. Fluoroscopy images help sync up the mounting unit with the 3-D blueprint as the procedure is performed. Using the Renaissance™ System, Dr. Lincoln can follow the surgical blueprint and perform each step of a surgery with more precision. The system is proven to help surgeons make surgical maneuvers within a 1.5-millimeter range of accuracy. This reduces the risk of causing nerve damage around the spine. Before After Eric Lincoln, DO, and Taylor Harrison IN THE SADDLE 22 | Impact | NAVICENTHEALTH.ORG/FOUNDATION CANCER SURVIVORSHIP

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