By trusting her instincts and advocating for her daughter, one mother found life-changing care at Shriners Children's.
Editor's Note: This piece is written in Teagan’s mom’s own words to share her genuine sentiment toward the level of care her daughter has received at Shriners Children's St. Louis.
Teagan is the funniest, sassiest old soul you’ll ever meet. She’s the kind of kid who can make everyone around her laugh, but she also has the biggest heart. She can be sensitive, but she’s also incredibly fierce – and her strength has amazed us every step of the way.
We first realized something wasn’t quite right when she started walking around her first birthday. After trusting our instincts and pushing for X-rays, we learned she had a severe case of hip dysplasia in her left hip.
She went through two unsuccessful surgeries at another hospital before her great-great-aunt connected us with Shriners Children’s St. Louis. Looking back, that’s the moment her life changed.
Our journey at Shriners began with Perry Schoenecker, M.D., who quickly became such a special part of our story. When Teagan was about 3 years old, she couldn’t quite pronounce his name and lovingly nicknamed him “Dr. Snicker.” It’s a memory that still makes us smile and one that we’ll both carry forever. In 2021, Dr. Schoenecker performed an open reduction of her left hip along with both a femoral and pelvic osteotomy, giving her the opportunity for a better future.
This past year, Dr. Schoenecker introduced us to Zachary Meyer, M.D., to continue Teagan’s care. In March of this year, Dr. Meyer and John Clohisy, M.D., performed a periacetabular osteotomy to reposition her hip socket to better cover and support the hip joint, and a proximal femoral osteotomy to reshape and realign the upper part of the thigh bone, also known as the femur, so it fits properly in the hip socket. These procedures will help preserve her hip and keep her doing the things she loves. Her recovery wasn’t easy, but Teagan tackled it with the same determination and spirit she’s always had.
Today, she’s healing beautifully and attends physical therapy at Shriners to continue building her strength while checking in with Dr. Meyer every few months. At our last appointment, he told us he expects her to be back in dance class this fall – a moment we’ve been dreaming about for a long time.
There aren’t enough words to express what Shriners Children’s St. Louis has meant to our family. The care, compassion and dedication of every doctor, nurse, therapist and staff member have changed Teagan’s life. Because of them, our little girl has the chance to run, dance and just be a kid again. We will always be grateful to be part of the Shriners family.
