SAINT LOUIS - When 15-year-old Chase was born, his parents questioned if he’d ever be able to use his hands. In this Christmas season, Chase and his family are so thankful for the miraculous work at Shriner's Children's Hospital in St. Louis that changed his life forever.
Chase was born with polydactyly of a triphalangeal thumb (PPD2), a very rare congenital condition that means he had extra digits on his hands and an extra bone in his thumbs. Tess, Chase’s mother, watched all three of her children experience this condition.
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But unlike when her first son was born, Tess knew Chase was going to receive the care he needed. A plastic surgeon told Tess that there was nothing they could do to correct the condition for her firstborn. But Shriners Children’s St. Louis told a different story.
“It’s been a gift to us that we were given at that hospital,” Tess said. “The whole organization is a blessing to us.”
Tess remembers when Dr. Charles Goldfarb walked into the room and announced it would be “no problem” to take care of her firstborn’s extra digits. By Chase’s birth, Tess considered Goldfarb to be “the most caring, compassionate man I’ve ever met.”
Over the past 22 years, Tess’s three children have collectively had 18 surgeries at Shriners Children’s. Chase had his first surgery at 10 months old. Now 15, Chase no longer requires surgeries but still enjoys going to Shriners Children’s for regular check-ups.
“It’s been really great,” Chase shared. “They’re just so easy to get along with. Overall, the energy with Shriners is just so good. I just really love it there.”
Tess jokes that the staff at Shriners Children’s must undergo personality tests before they’re hired because “they’re all so friendly.” She acknowledges that “no kid” looks forward to going to the doctor, but her kids always have.
“At Shriners, they just make it feel like family, and they cater to every child that walks through the door,” Tess explained. “It’s just a neat environment.”
Now 15, Chase spends all his free time at the bowling alley. Not long after his last surgery, he attended a bowling birthday party and fell in love with the sport. He averages 200-point games and was ranked within the top 10% of bowlers during a national junior tournament last year.
“Ever since then, I’ve just been bowling and I really never looked back,” he said. “I want to go to college on a scholarship, hopefully with bowling, and then try to become a professional bowler.”
For a child who could not pick up a Cheerio, the fact that Chase has the hand strength to grip a 15-pound bowling ball and hold it above his head is “such a blessing.”
Chase and Tess often share their story through the Shriners Children’s ambassador program. They talk to families with kids who have limb differences, and they work to empower these children.
They also let people know that Shriners Children’s St. Louis provides care regardless of a family’s ability to pay. The Shriners organization helps cover these often highly specialized treatments.
Chase and Tess noted that they’re “unbelievably blessed” by the Shriners and forever grateful to live so close to such top-notch healthcare. As Chase continues to pursue bowling, Tess and the Shriners Children’s team are all cheering him on.
“Shriners will help with all of that and take care of these kids and give them a chance to live out their dreams,” Tess added. “My kids, they’ve given them the gift to live out their dreams.”
They encourage people to consider giving to Shriners Children’s St. Louis if you can. For more information about Shriners Children’s St. Louis, visit their official website.
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