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An Angel for Our Angels, Volume 3

By now, you should have a pretty good idea of Dr. Campbell's character.  The stories tell of his love and dedication to his patients, and there are many more stories to tell.  

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"I just feel so sad. When I told Owen that Dr. C could not operate anymore, he was so upset. That’s his friend and he is his tiger (as I am sure many of your kids have been called). I also am struggling to find the right words to describe what Dr. C did for our family. I know you all know since we are on similar paths. He saved Owen’s life. He gave him a quality of life he would not have had otherwise. He fixed it so Owen can enjoy the most simplest of things in life, but also experience the big things. He gave him his lungs. He saw the potential in Owen’s little severely curved body. The world has a hole in it now. And no one else can really fill it. RIP Dr. C."
-Owen, Nick, and Sara Sedey


"We started with Dr Smith and Dr Campbell back in 1994. Our daughter Jenny was #17. These doctors offered us the hope that no one else could. I am forever thankful they took a chance on Jenny and gave us 20 wonderfully blessed years with her. 

Thank you Lord for the gift of healing you placed in these Doctors hands and hearts and for their willingness to share it with our children. It has given so many of us the most precious gift possible, more time on this earth with our children. Let us always be thankful and never take this time for granted. We will miss you Dr Campbell."

-Lisa Hodes


"We adopted Lilly from China in 2009 at the age of 3, knowing that she had a severe spinal curvature and would likely need VEPTRs.  The pediatric orthopedist we first saw in Florida wanted to take a “wait and see” approach since we didn’t have any real baseline data on her curvature.  Lilly was quite malnourished when we received her, so when she got home and had good nutrition, her growth took off.  As a result her curvature quickly progressed from about 95-degrees to about 115-degrees in the 6 months he advocated waiting.  Needless to say, he was quick to refer us to CHOP to meet Dr. Campbell.  After all the initial workups by CHOP and a spinal cord de-tethering in Alabama, her curvature had progressed to roughly 125-degrees by the time of her implant.   

We are so grateful for the VEPTR and for Dr. Campbell’s dedication, expertise, compassion, and determination to help kids live full lives.  Without him, we know without a doubt Lilly’s life would have been cut short and quality of life would have diminished significantly as her curvature continued to progress.  She is now 12, entering puberty, looking ahead to middle school next year, she plays the flute (requiring a lot of wind!), and she lives a normal, active life.  While the VEPTR journey itself can be hard—surgeries, hospital stays, infections, family logistics when we travel to CHOP, etc.—we know the alternative is unthinkable.


We are grateful for Dr. Campbell's life’s work, his compassion, his commitment to Lilly."
-Amy Cantilina


It was 1998 and Madi had suffered through a full spinal fusion, which did not help her condition. We received a phone call to drop everything and head to San Antonio from NNY in the summer of 1999 to meet with Dr. Smith and Dr. Campbell and be screened for the VEPTR project. I have many memories of Dr. Campbell playing with Madi and the other children. It was immediately obvious how much he cared for each child. 

We went home and waited. Shortly, Lori called and said Madi would be “Riblet #98”.  Her original VEPTR devices were inserted over two years, on both sides. Dr. Campbell sent us to Dr. Moreland in Pittsburgh- and after he retired, Madi became Dr. Deeney’s patient. We adore Dr. Deeney immensely. 
Madi did have one more appointment with Dr. Campbell at Boston Children’s when she was undergoing some complications. As always, he was thorough, attentive and KIND.

Dr. Campbell understood the dynamics of the child who underwent so many medical procedures. He listened to frightened parents. He offered hope and a sense of ease in difficult times.  There is no way to thank him or praise him which covers his lifetime of service. 

My daughter is my world.  I owe Dr Campbell My World.
-Rhonda Foote

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