To meet Brandon is to experience the strength, sweetness and indomitable spirit of a child who has defied the odds, overcoming more medical struggles than most adults. 

Overcoming Obstacles
Brandon was born more than four months prematurely, weighing just 1 pound, 13 ounces.  He has cerebral palsy and hydrocephalus, a condition that occurs when too much fluid builds up in the brain.  He’s undergone nearly 30 surgeries at Gillette, and a surgically implanted shunt helps drain excess fluid from his brain. In addition to his surgeries, Brandon receives physical therapy two to three times each week at Gillette’s Burnsville Clinic, near the family’s home.

“Brandon has one of the best attitudes I have ever seen in a child,” says Sue Murr, one of his Gillette therapists.  “We all know that he goes through a lot, but he always looks on the bright side of life.”

Speaking Up for Gillette
In March 2009, Brandon and his family traveled to Walt Disney World in Orlando, Fla., for the Children’s Miracle Network Celebration. Celebration is an annual coming-together of hospitals, media, sponsors and celebrities to recognize the impact Children’s Miracle Network hospitals have made on the lives of more than 17 million children. Brandon represented Minnesota and Gillette, the state’s only Children’s Miracle Network hospital.

As part of the trip, Brandon also traveled to Washington, D.C., where he met President Obama and played on the First Playground — the Obama family’s new swing set. It was, according to Brandon, “the trip of a lifetime.”

Just Like Any Other Kid
Brandon loves sports and his favorite pastime is playing football with friends in his neighborhood. Brandon cannot catch the ball because he needs both hands for his walker, so his friends hand the ball to him and he runs it in for touchdowns. An activity that most kids his age take for granted is a demonstration of Brandon’s spirit and his determination to succeed.

Despite the challenges he faces, Brandon insists on being treated like other kids. “My life motto is to never give up, never back down, and never lose faith,” he says. “Because if you don’t have those things, where are you gonna get in life?”

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