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Kamyl's Story

Even before she was born, Kamyl was a fighter. Cytomegalovirus (CMV), a disease that often takes the lives of very young babies was no match for her, even when coupled with other health complications.

Kamyl was born in Louisville, Kentucky. She was very sick. As the weeks went on, Kamyl's mom, Desirae, wanted to make sure Kamyl got the best care possible, so she brought her to Cincinnati Children's. When she got here, she worked with Kamyl's care team to get more answers about her daughter's condition.

"I didn't even know how sick she was until we got to Cincinnati Children's," Desirae says. "She was in the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit, her kidneys and liver were failing. They told me she might not make it through the weekend."

But Kamyl did. She fought hard and her doctors fought just as hard for her. Kamyl saw specialists in nearly every department at the medical center, and she continued to improve. That's why Desirae made the decision to move to Cincinnati, so Kamyl could continue to see the doctors who saved her life.

For the first year of her life, Kamyl didn't go out, except to her doctors' appointments. But that changed in September of 2014 when she attended her first big event, Cincinnati Walks for Kids.

"She had such a good time," her mom, Desirae says. "She laughed the whole time." That in and of itself was a feat that wouldn't have been possible without the care of Cincinnati Children's.

"I think she was just excited to be around people, and to see the animals. It was our first trip to the Zoo," Desirae says. "She felt at home. She saw other kids who were just like her. We all just had a blast. And we can't wait to do it again this year."

You can join Kamyl and Desirae this year at the 10th annual Cincinnati Walks for Kids. Register today.