SHD Reun 312 - Shodair Children's Hospital

Samantha Faulkner:
Montana's 2012 Children's Miracle
Network Hospitals Champion
Eyes on the
Future
Samantha Faulkner seems wise
beyond her ten years. It's not just her steady gaze
and intelligence that captivate
anyone who meets her; it's her
drive to succeed despite her
disabilities that make her a
remarkable girl. These are just
some of the qualities that make
Samantha Montana's 2012
Children's Miracle Network
Hospitals Champion. At one
month of age, Samantha was
diagnosed with collagenopathy,
thanks to the specialists in
Shodair Children's Hospital's
Medical Genetics Department. This
specialized team worked with the Faulkners to
clarify Sam's diagnosis and to help them set a treatment
plan in motion. In 2007, Sam was diagnosed
with an inflammatory myofibroblastic tumor (IMT),
which reoccurred nearly a year later, and again last
year. The reccurances were monitored by Seattle
Children's Hospital and Samantha's local
pediatrician. IMT is a lifelong disease requiring
ongoing treatment.
Sam continues to be seen by Shodair's genetics team
at outreach clinics in Great Falls, a short distance
from her home in Ulm. Shodair's specialists
recently further refined Samantha's genetic diagnosis
to one of Stickler syndrome, a connective tissue
disorder that can include retinal detachment,
hearing loss, and mild precocious arthritis.
(See sidebar story for more details).
Samantha's connection to Shodair actually began
before she was born. Her mother, Erin, was seen by
the hospital's genetics specialists as a teen regarding
her short stature. Several years later, Erin was seen
again at Shodair for some answers regarding issues
with her vision, hearing, and joints, leading to a
diagnosis of Stickler syndrome for Erin as well.
Perhaps it's a combination of her family's medical
challenges and her empathy for others that are
driving Samantha's desire to become an OB/GYN
someday. “It would be interesting,” she explains in
her matter of fact way. “I like science, I like babies,
and I like doctors.”
As part of Samantha's
ongoing care, her treatment
team also includes
vision, hearing, and orthopedic
specialists. With
their help, she participates
in school and sports with
plenty of enthusiasm and a
few accommodations. In
addition to Sam wearing a
hearing aid in each ear,
her interpreter from the Montana School for the
Deaf and Blind helps her keep pace with what's
going on in her fourth-grade classroom at Lewis and
Clark Elementary in Great Falls. To participate in
soccer, Samantha trades her eyeglasses for contacts
and special goggles she calls “rec specs” in order to
minimize the chance of a detached retina occurring.
This young Champion is excited about what lies
ahead in the coming year as she serves as
Montana's Children's Miracle Network Hospitals
Champion, joining over 50 other young
ambassadors from across the nation participating
in the Champions program.
Samantha's selection will be officially announced
during a special event this spring at the Great Falls
Walmart, and in September, Sam and her family will
fly to Washington DC, where they'll meet champion
children from around the country.
Above: Erin and Samantha Faulkner are pictured here on
Samantha's tenth birthday. Both have been seen by Shodair's
genetics specialists for a condition called Stickler Syndrome. Right: An avid soccer player, Samantha gets a piggyback ride from
her dad, Byron, after a Minibolts game.
2 Reunion