RADY ROCKSTAR

Every year, a current or former Rady Children’s Hospital patient is selected to be the Dance Marathon at SDSU Leadership Team’s “Rady Rockstar.” The Rady Rockstar helps us out with all kinds of fun activities including picking one of the themes for our event, attending some Leadership Team meetings and DM at SDSU special events, and, the most important task of all, choosing the ice cream flavor when we all hang out. This very special kiddo is an integral part of our DM at SDSU family, and getting to know them is many Leadership Team members' favorite part of being on the planning side of the event.

2022-2023 rady rockstar - meet Kellan!

Name: Kellan

Age: 13

Diagnosis: Heart Condition

Family: Christina & Terrance (parents)

Interests: Music, Digital Art, being a Youth Leader, hats

We are so excited to welcome Kellan, and his parents as our 2023-2024 Rady Rockstar family!

Kellan was diagnosed with a heart condition before he was born. His parents knew he had a difficult journey ahead, but they put their trust in Kellan’s expert care team at Rady Children’s Hospital, especially his pediatric cardiovascular surgeon. Thanks to Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals donations, Dr. John Lamberti was able to utilize a 3D-printed model of Kellan’s heart to plan his complex surgery. At just 4 days old, Kellan had his first major heart surgery to repair the hole in his heart and reconstruct his aortic arch. He spent two months recovering in the cardiology neonatal intensive care unit, where caring nurses made his parents feel like they were surrounded by family. When he was strong enough, Kellan had a second heart reconstruction surgery, a pacemaker surgery, and a G-tube surgery before he finally went home for the first time. Over the years Kellan has had more surgeries and he still has regular hospital visits that are helping him to thrive. Today he is an active 13-year-old and a straight-A student.

Thanks to donations like yours, Kellan’s pediatric cardiovascular surgeon could utilize a 3D-printed model of Kellan’s heart to plan his complex heart surgery.

As our 2023-2024 Rady Rockstar, Kellan will help us design merchandise, pick themes for our Dance Marathon event, show us how to dance like a kid, and much more! We can't wait for our donors, participants and DM at SDSU community to get to know and love him and his family as much as we do!