Meet Kenley – Central Ohio

Kenley is an 8-year-old who enjoys lyrical dance, gymnastics and school. She lives in Ohio with her parents, Morgan and Mitchell and her siblings Noah, Hayes and Holden. At age 4, Kenley began experiencing a lot of pain leading to several hospital visits. Kenley’s mom, Morgan, remembers knowing that something was wrong through mother’s intuition. Through every doctor’s appointment, failed neurological test, and various other symptoms, there was still no known reason for the way Kenley was feeling. Finally, in 2019, doctor’s diagnosed Kenley with Craniosynostosis leading to an eventual skull reconstruction.

Morgan recalls a time the family was preparing to be discharged from the hospital. “I was frustrated because I just wanted an answer,” she said. “One of the social workers came in to calm me down and handed me some pamphlets for organizations that would make [Kenley’s] life more enjoyable… I was thankful that she gave them to us”. In 2019, the family joined A Kid Again and have enjoyed making fun memories together. The family loves A Kid Again because it gives them something to look forward to and it connects them to other families who understand what they are going through. Two of Kenley’s favorite Adventures are King’s Island and Zoombezi Bay, especially at night when A Kid Again families are the only people at the waterpark. She loves attending A Kid Again Adventures because everyone “always has a smile on their face”!

Kenley’s parents want to remind anyone raising a child with a life-threatening condition that they are not alone. Although it may feel isolating at times, there are other people who can relate to you, and when you find those people, it is a safe space. At A Kid Again, we hope to provide that safe space for all of our families to find support and comfort when they need it and to help all of our kids and their siblings to feel like A Kid Again!