Duke Health

Andy Torres was a toddler when he was diagnosed with moderate to severe hearing loss. Hearing aids and speech therapy helped Andy learn to communicate, but his hearing and speech progress plateaued as he approached adolescence. After receiving a cochlear implant -- a surgically implanted device that delivers sound by directly stimulating the auditory nerve -- at Duke Health, Andy now hears high-frequency sounds he couldn’t hear before, he can better understand conversation, and he’s performing better in school. “Whatever we can do to improve his life, we will do it,” Andy’s dad Serguei Torres said. “That's why we said yes to the cochlear implant.”

The KidsCAN! team approached Graham Alexander and his family shortly after his wife, Elizabeth, was transferred to the Duke Cancer Center from another hospital to further her care for colon cancer. At first, Graham felt reluctant to get involved in the program.

Giselle Olivas was 8 years old when she was diagnosed with an atrial septal defect, also known as a hole in the heart. Her parents chose Duke for her surgery. But instead of traditional open-heart surgery, Giselle and her family opted for a less invasive approach. After her procedure in summer 2024, Giselle returned home following a two-night hospital stay. She attended her first day of fourth grade a few weeks later. “Everything looked great at her most recent appointment,” Giselle’s father Carlos Olivas said. “And the best part is that we shouldn't have to worry about this again in the future.”