Live Sweet + Love All

Ethan : Hydrocephalus, Chiari Malformation

Ethan is a vibrant and energetic 4 year old boy. He loves his friends and enjoys going to preschool. Ethan has an amazing family and he is about to become the best big brother ever!!!!

Ethan was born with a condition called Chiari Malformation, and was later confirmed to have Hydrocephalus. Ethan has undergone surgeries and many check ups. He has overcome many obstacles and is thriving!

photography by McKenzye Anker

Thomas : severe ADHD, apraxia and motor issues

Meet Thomas!
Thomas is a fun and energetic little boy who enjoys playing with his older brother David. To escape the hot summer heat, Thomas likes spending time in the pool. Thomas has severe ADHD, apraxia and motor issues.
Please join Sweet Nectar Society in sending Thomas some sweet words of encouragement!

David : Autism

David is a very kind boy. He was diagnosed with autism at the age of 5. David struggles with severe anxiety and does not have the ability to focus for extended periods of time. It’s been several years since David’s parents have had professional photos taken because new situations can cause stress.
We are thrilled to report that David had a great time during his session and was full of smiles! We really enjoyed meeting David and his little brother Thomas! (Tomas will be featured soon)

Aranza : Acute Myeloid Leukemia

Meet Aranza!
Aranza was diagnosed with acute myeloid leukemia in December 2014. AML is primarily a cancer of the bone marrow and can progress rapidly. AML is the second most occurring childhood cancer. Aranza completed several rounds of chemotherapy treatments. During her treatment she had to spend time in the pediatric intensive care at Valley Children’s hospital due to infections caused by her compromised immune system.
Aranza has a twin sister, two older siblings and parents who absolutely adore her.
Please join Sweet Nectar Society and give Aranza and her family some extra encouragement!

Marlana : T-Cell Lymphoma

In October 2013 Marlana’s parents took her to Valley Children’s Hospital for what they thought to be asthma symptoms. Unfortunately it was not asthma- Marlana had a giant mass growing in her chest that was preventing her from breathing. She was diagnosed with t-cell lymphoma and has endured numerous rounds of treatment. Despite all she has been through, her parents say Marlana has been the one keeping them strong.
Please join Sweet Nectar Society in sending this courageous sweetie and her family some positive vibes!

Alyssa : Infantile Neuroaxonal Dystrophy

“Alyssa was diagnosed with INAD (infantile neuroaxonal dystrophy), which is a progressive, irreversible neurodegenerative disorder. Alyssa, who was once a happy, healthy-appearing toddler, has been slowly losing function. She is no longer able to walk or sit up on her own, and she is having increasing difficulty eating. Her parents painstakingly feed her by syringe, drop by drop, just so they can hold her in their arms a little longer.
One thing this little angel has not stopped doing yet is smiling. She has the most heart warming smile. One of the highlights of her day is hearing her brother, Benjamin, come home from school. She listens for the sound of the bus, and her eyes light up.”

Lucy : Williams Syndrome

“When Lucy was born, she was blue and rushed to the NICU. She was then helicoptered to Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital Stanford for open heart surgery to repair a coarctation of the aorta, a VSD and a severely leaky tricuspid valve. After a successful surgery, she went into cardiac arrest and was placed on life support for 6 days until her heart could sustain her body again. She spent three months in the hospital where she was diagnosed with Williams Syndrome- which is a rare genetic disease that occurs approximately 1 in 10,000 births. With Williams Syndrome comes developmental delays, feeding problems and various medical issues, including serious cardiovascular problems. Since Lucys initial diagnosis and hospitalization, she has undergone seven more surgeries and been diagnosed with hypothyroidism, reflux, a bicuspid aortic valve, and pulmonary and pulmonary branch stenosis and is in the early stages of heart failure. Lucy is fed through a g-tube and monitored very closely by her team of doctors and we are awaiting her next open heart surgery to repair portions of her stenosis. She gets physical therapy and occupational therapy regularly.
Lucy is a beautiful, charismatic two year old with twinkling eyes and a smile that will brighten anyone’s day. We are so very lucky that she is part of our family!”

Ashley : Chronic Pediatric Sarcoidosis

As a parent, it is heartbreaking to witness your child in sick, in pain or suffering and not be able to make it better. When the bad days out number the good days, each and every smile is cherished.

“Thank you so much… and then some! We’ve had a rough time recently. It was nice to see her feeling pretty and smiling! So grateful for what you do!” Ashley’s Mom, Dana

Arshveer : Rhabdomyosarcoma

When Arshveer was 10 months old his mom was diagnosed with breast cancer. She underwent chemo, radiation and a double mastectomy. She had not yet finished her treatment when their families worst nightmare became a reality. Their youngest son was diagnosed with cancer.Arshveer’s was diagnosed with Rhabdomyosarcoma, cancer of the eye muscle. Before getting a diagnosis his parents had taken him to the doctor numerous times for a swollen eye and each time they were sent home being advised to just give him Benadryl. His parents knew something was not right after his eye remained swollen, so they took him to Valley Children’s and he was diagnosed with cancer. They immediately began treatment.Arshveer’s mother knew she could not care for her baby the way he needed her if she was so sick with her own cancer treatment. A testament to a mothers love- she stopped treatment to ensure she could dedicate herself to caring for Arshveer. It was devastating for her to know first hand the pain his little body was enduring with each treatment. Yet both mother and father stayed strong and dedicated to caring for Arshveer and their family during this time.Arshveer was cancer free and in remission and then relapsed again with more cancer behind his eyes. It was difficult to find a medical team who was able to conduct the surgery to remove the cancer but by the grace of God they found someone, the surgery was conducted and once again this strong little boy is cancer on the road to recovery. He has a long battle ahead of him but with the love of his family and friends, we pray he heals quickly.

Stevie : Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy

Stevie is such a friendly 11 year old boy. He is very social and finds joy in making others happy. He is am amazing older brother to his 6 younger siblings. Stevie was diagnosed with Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy when he was four years old.

DMD is progressive genetic disorder that causes muscle degeneration and weakness. In early years DMD affects muscles in the hips, shoulders and later affects the voluntary muscles like legs, arms and core. By early teenage years the heart and respiratory muscles are affected.

Stevie has lost the ability to walk and is now in a wheelchair full time. Dancing is one of his favorite things to do but because of the weakness in his muscles it is getting difficult for him to move his body. Recently he has started having difficulty lifting his arms to feed himself.

Stevie’s favorite superhero is Spiderman- many who know him see STEVIE as their hero. His ability to face each day with a smile and positive outlook is the most powerful of all abilities!

We love Stevie and want him to know just how incredible he is!

Korbin : Jarcho Levin Syndrome

Meet Korbin! Korbin was diagnosed with Jarcho Levin Syndrome at birth. JLS is a rare genetic disorder characterized by distinctive malformations of vertebrae and the ribs, respiratory insufficiency, and/or other abnormalities. Korbin’s case consists of fused ribs and deformed vertebrae. Having this condition has not stopped Korbin from doing whatever he wants! Corbin is a darling- walking, running and rambunctious toddler. We are so very proud of him and will continue to cheer Corbin on in whatever he wants to do!

Thank  you Jess Cadena Photography for an amazingly sweet session!

Ellory : Autism

Ellory was adopted into her family at 3 years old (She left the orphanage on her birthday! What a gift!) from Russia. It was not figured out that Ellory had Autism until about 6 months after her arrival. There were many classic signs like lack of eye contact, lack of language, sensory issues, sleep issues, rocking, etc that tipped her family off and led them to a diagnosis.
Her parents had absolutely no idea there was such a thing with Autism called “elopement”. They learned the hard way when she went missing like a stealth plane. Ellory’s family learned very quickly the terms “bolting”, “wandering”, “eloping” from their daughter. Once they realized what was going on, they were on 24/7 alert–a pretty stressful way to live. Her parents searched and searched for options to keep Ellory safe and reduce their family stress level and eventually decided that an Autism Service Dog was the best match for Ellory and their family.
In March of 2014, Ellory’s service dog arrived to help. Her dog, Hazel, is trained to her scent and will track her if she goes missing again and can be tethered to her while in public to become like an anchor should Ellory bolt away. In time, a bond should form that would also allow Hazel to sense and stop any stimming behaviors. Initially, Ellory was terrified of anything with 4 legs, but with hard work, she has come to terms with Hazel and they are slowly becoming buddies. Since Hazel’s arrival, Ellory’s language has exploded and she has napped more than ever!