Annabel’s journey: The story behind the movie “Miracles from Heaven”

Eight-year-old Annabel Beam was on a quest to find the perfect gift. During a 2010 trip from her Texas home to Boston Children’s Hospital, she asked her Mom to stop at the airport gift shop before boarding the plane. Annabel perused the aisles, examining each item in the hope of finding a token of appreciation for her gastroenterologist, Dr. Samuel Nurko, director of the Motility and Functional Gastrointestinal Disorders Center. Annabel spotted a cuddly teddy bear wearing blue doctors’ scrubs. She reached for the bear, squeezed its arm, and a musical rendition of “Doctor, Doctor, give me the news…” began to play. Annabel’s grin spread from ear to ear. “I want to give this to Dr. Nurko, Mommy,” said Annabel. The teddy bear symbolized the kindness and hope Nurko shared with Annabel while she managed the rare and chronic gastrointestinal condition pseudo-obstruction. And it remains a symbol of the long-lasting bond between Nurko and his young patient. “It was a very touching moment,” Nurko says of the day he received the teddy bear. “I keep the bear in my office, and he watches over me.” This was one of many trips to Boston Children’s to treat Annabel’s chronic and often debilitating condition. The road to Boston Children’s When Annabel was 4, she had bouts of distended (swollen) stomach and difficulty eating, and she experienced intense stomach cramping and pain. “[Annabel’s] pain was almost always at a level 10, and on a good d...
Source: Thrive, Children's Hospital Boston - Category: Pediatrics Authors: Tags: Diseases & Conditions Our Patients’ Stories Anna Beam Jennifer Garner Miracles from Heaven Motility and Functional Gastrointestinal Disorders Center pseudo-obstruction Samuel Nurko Source Type: news