Hannah Harlow named 2023 Children's Miracle Network Hospitals “Miracle Child”

November 29, 2022

Tyler, Texas - Each year, Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals at CHRISTUS Mother Frances Hospital - Tyler selects at least one child to represent CMN hospitals. This year the 2023 Miracle Child is 3-year-old Hannah Harlow, who will debut as Miracle Child when she lights the city of Tyler’s Christmas Tree during the annual Christmas Parade on December 1. The Miracle Child has lit the tree every year since 1987.

Although Hannah appeared to be a healthy baby, even at a young age she was always in pain. Hannah would cry constantly if she wasn’t being held. Walking or even standing was extremely painful.

During a routine doctor appointment, her pediatrician immediately knew something wasn’t right and referred Hannah to a pediatric endocrinologist in the CHRISTUS Trinity Clinic. Ironically the only specialist available in the area, Dr. Ana Gutierrez Alvarez, had just completed a yearlong study on a rare and difficult to diagnose genetic condition called X-Linked Hypophosphatemic (XLH) Rickets. Hannah was one of her first patients.

At the age of two, Hannah was diagnosed with XLH Rickets, a condition in which the body doesn’t produce or retain phosphorous. Without phosphorous, bones do not harden, so they are brittle and can easily break. Left untreated, children with XLH Rickets live in constant pain, have stunted growth and lifelong struggles with bone breakage and impaired mobility. Due to brittle bones, children have to be very careful, limiting physical activities and even play.

Although there is no cure for XLH Rickets, Hannah’s endocrinologist Dr. Alvarez began progressive treatment with hopes to slow and possibly even reverse her symptoms. Within just a few months, Hannah began to walk, jump and even run! Recent x-rays show the bones in her legs have completely healed and she has caught up with the growth chart. At four years old, there is nothing she can’t do. Hannah is in tumbling, dance and loves dressing up in fancy dresses. Best of all, she is finally back to just being a kid!

You can help children like Hannah by supporting Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals. One hundred percent of the funds raised locally for Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals stay at CHRISTUS Trinity Mother Frances Health System to provide life-saving pediatric equipment and medical services to children in our area.