Paging Dr. Harley

 Meet Caoimhe

“I’m so excited. We’ve been planning this for nearly a year, and the day is here!”

It’s 7 a.m., and Kathyn Keeler, MD, Orthopedics, paces eagerly in the Adele Hall entrance near the operating rooms (OR), her scrub cap pulled tight, eyes glistening as she and her team await the arrival of 11-year-old Caoimhe (pronounced Keev-a and means beautiful, gentle, kind). Nearby, an operating room nurse, Lisa, holds a small lab coat custom embroidered in purple thread that reads: Dr. Caoimhe Harley, Orthopedic Surgery and a scrub cap Lisa made just for her which includes dainty flowers, one of her favorite symbols of beauty and growth.

While Caoimhe and her family are no strangers to driving 100 miles to Kansas City to receive specialized care for her condition called progressive hereditary spastic paraparesis, this day was different. Today, Caoimhe works alongside her heroes and serves as a surgeon in the operating room – a dream she has had since early childhood as Children’s Mercy became a regular part of her life story.

Prepped and ready, her white coat shining among the dim lights, Caoimhe guides her automated wheelchair down the hall and prepares to enter the OR saying: “I am so happy – this is my first time. It’s my wish to be a bone doctor!” 

As the teal doors open to welcome her, Caoimhe is greeted by her fellow surgeons, each grinning as they assume their positions just as they would if a real surgery was about to take place. The room quiets as the patient – a mannequin named Teddy Beary – has his case presented as a 5-year-old who will receive a right, tibial derotational osteotomy. As the anesthesia sets in, Caoimhe and her family wait in anticipation nearby, ready to watch her take her hand as lead surgeon.

Side-by-side, Dr. Keeler and Caoimhe work, as each person does their part – handing off and cleaning tools, doings safety checks, watching vitals and of course, teaching. “Expose the area we’re going to operate on,” instructors Dr. Keeler. “Next we’ll use this tool to make an incision and get to the part we need to make better.” Caoimhe chimes in beside her, her condition making it challenging to use her arms and legs, “I may need a little help to get this on there, but I’m ready to fix it!” The surgical team encourages both, saying, “Good job, doctors.” To which Caoimhe replies, “just doing my job.”

The surgery starts to wrap, where Caoimhe has learned to not just go through the motions of the operation, but the why. Orthopedist Dr. Carlos Gonzalez shares, “The material your actual bone is made of – calcium sulfate and hydroxyapatite- help put bone-like material back into the leg to make new, stronger bone for the patient. It will remodel in 6 to 12 months’ time and form a new, healthier leg for the patient.”

“That’s cool!” says Caoimhe.

The procedure complete and patient Teddy Beary ready for recovery, the team steps away from the bright lights of the OR and heads to the comforting space in recovery. Here, Caoimhe participates in the post-procedure report, where the assessments showed his surgery was a success.

 

“This experience is such a testament to how kid-focused, authentic and genuine Children’s Mercy and all their staff are at all times,” said Cordell, Caoimhe’s dad. “From security to the cafeteria, to each doctor and nurse – they are all amazing. And they always talk to her versus around or above her.”

Dr. Keeler said it was an honor for her and the team to provide this built-for-kids moment for Caoimhe. “All children deserve to feel at their best and capable of anything,” she said. “If we can provide any moment of magic on top of their medical care, we will. In many small ways, and in big, unique ones like these when the opportunities arise.”

As Caoimhe and her family posed with the care team for pictures and gathered their goody bag, including a teddy bear to commemorate this morning, the family shared: “Thank you so much for making a wish come true for her future. While our hopes include more research on her condition, breakthroughs, cures and for her to do more things independently, having this come true today was an absolute win.”

Caoimhe’s family also credits Children’s Mercy for finding her condition at all, as well as others in their family. “Since we discovered her rare diagnosis early, your hospital encouraged us to do genetic testing as a family. With this, we have found a heart condition in multiple of our other children as well.”

When asked what she liked best about the experience, Caoimhe said, “It was super fun to put the bandage on the patient. It reminds me of how kind all my doctors and nurses are when I see them here.” And see many she does, with her family frequently visiting, physical therapy, occupational therapy, general surgery, genetics, cardiac, neurology, nutrition and rehabilitation in both our Joplin location and at Adele Hall.

In their final moments before hanging up their scrubs, Caoimhe’s family left Children’s Mercy with a few more sentiments. “While we as a family celebrate the mini milestones Caoimhe achieves – toileting, sitting up, taking bites of food, swallowing meds or brushing teeth – we’re grateful that your providers do, too. They stay curious and push for ways to improve her condition.”

As the family prepares to travel back to their home in Girard, Kan., they share it’s “nice to not have to go all the way to Tulsa or St. Louis” for what Caoimhe needs. Caoimhe agrees, sharing “While it would be good to be able to teleport here, I really like the starry sky in the hospital.”

In the team’s final waves goodbye until next time, Caoimhe’s family gives hugs and said, “While we use the words brave, content and funny to describe Caoimhe, we’d say the same about everyone at Children’s Mercy. You all are a true asset to the hospital and always make us feel like family. Thank you.”

See more of Caoimhe’s day-in-the-life-of-a-surgeon story shared with KCTV 5.