Shands Children's Hospital
Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children
The Kids
Miracles at Work

The Kids

Destinee
St. Cloud, FL

Destinee is an up-beat 12-year-old with an infectious smile and a heart for helping others. In August 2007, Destinee’s mom noticed her belly looked swollen. Her pediatrician, finding Destinee’s liver enlarged, ordered bloodwork and a CT Scan and referred her to an oncologist who admitted her to Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children. Suspecting cancer, Destinee's oncologist ordered a liver biopsy which confirmed hepatocellular carcinoma, a rare form of liver cancer. Destinee immediately began chemotherapy at Arnold Palmer Hospital to slow the growth of the tumor. The next month, Destinee went to Shands Children’s Hospital at UF to determine if she was a candidate for a liver transplant. On October 11 at 3 a.m., Destinee’s family received the call that a liver was available. After recovering from a successful transplant at Shands Children’s Hospital, she returned to Arnold Palmer Hospital to complete her chemotherapy to make sure there are no more cancer cells in her body. Today Destinee continues to enjoy her favorite activities, especially music and drawing, and she loves Hannah Montana. She says her heroes are Jesus and the family who donated their son’s liver so she could live.