In November 2016, Drew was a happy, healthy two-year-old who had never been ill. One day, he was rushed to the H-E-B Emergency Department at CHRISTUS Children’s with a very high fever. Physicians diagnosed Drew with pneumonia, and admitted him into the Pediatric Intermediate Care Unit (PICU). The pneumonia continued to get worse. Physicians determined Drew had necrotizing pneumonia with empyema, a very rare complication of a bacterial lung infection, with dying lung tissue, which made Drew’s condition much more serious. He underwent two surgeries. Drew recovered and spent two weeks with physical, occupational, and speech therapists, re-learning how to walk, talk, and eat.

Drew P.