Two years ago, Zoey appeared to have a severe case of stomach flu.  It lasted for several weeks — but Zoey didn’t have the flu.  Soon, she was having more than 50 seizures a day.  “It was devastating to watch,” says her mother, Josie.  “She had no quality of life, no play time.  She couldn’t even go outside.”

After dozens of tests and medications, Zoey was diagnosed with Rasmussen syndrome, a rare and severe form of epilepsy.  The condition triggers the brain to swell and attack itself, causing tissue damage and permanent changes in function. 

In December 2005, Josie and her husband, Dan, decided to let Zoey undergo a modified functional hemispherectomy.  Surgeons disconnected the entire left hemisphere of Zoey’s brain, removing much of the tissue. 

Following such surgery, children often need rehabilitation therapy to relearn how to move and communicate.  Zoey, for example, couldn’t move the right side of her body.  She could communicate only by pointing or saying “mmm hmmm” or “uh huh.”  She spent nearly six weeks at Gillette Children’s Specialty Healthcare, relearning to walk, talk, dress, feed herself and perform other everyday tasks.

“We first went to Gillette when we were trying to figure out what was wrong with Zoey,” says Josie.  “We were so impressed with the quality of the care and with the people there that we knew it would be the best place for Zoey.”

Today, Zoey is playing outside again.  She is running, dancing, reciting the Pledge of Allegiance, singing her ABCs, and taking karate and swimming lessons.  Most importantly, she is seizure-free.  She continues to come to Gillette for ongoing speech, occupational and physical therapy.

“We don’t know where we’d be without the team at Gillette,” says Josie.  “We look at Zoey and we’re just amazed.”

<< Back to Meet the Kids