The Hamrick Family

Initial Background Story

"When our family learned that our baby boy, Walter, would be born with a severe Congenital Diaphragmatic Hernia (CDH), our entire world shifted. We knew early on that giving Walter the best possible fighting chance would mean making major sacrifices and navigating a path filled with uncertainty, immense strength, and endless hope. To ensure Walter received the specialized, high-level care he needed, we relocated our family to St. Petersburg to be treated at the Center for Congenital Diaphragmatic Hernia at Johns Hopkins All Children’s Hospital. Walter’s journey in the NICU has been a true testament to his fighting spirit. He has faced some of the toughest hurdles a newborn can endure—including a 37 day run on ECMO. Through every setback and milestone, including the incredible milestone of coming off the ECMO machine, Walter has shown us what true bravery looks like. Navigating CDH as a family means balancing intense hospital days with keeping life as stable and loving as possible for Walter’s big sister, Matilda, and big brother, Fletcher. Living away from our home, managing long-term temporary housing, and facing the mounting financial strains of a lengthy hospital stay have been daunting. Yet, through every step, we have been sustained by faith, prayer, and the surrounding support of our community. Receiving this grant from the Eden Calhoun Foundation provides a profound sense of relief and hope during the most challenging season of our lives. It eases the immediate burden of our prolonged relocation and living expenses away from home, allowing us to keep our family together where we belong—right by Walter’s side as he continues to heal and grow. We are deeply grateful to the Eden Calhoun Foundation for offering a hand to always hold when families like ours need it most. Thank you for walking alongside us in Walter’s journey."

10/1/2026

"On September 23rd, Walter had surgery for a Nissen fundoplication to mechanically correct his severe reflux, along with G-tube placement. After spending over a month trying to help him gain weight non-surgically, our team agreed this was the best path forward. One week post-op, Walter feels like a whole new baby! He is noticeably happier, his vitals have improved, and he is slowly returning to his baseline oral feeding. While weight gain is still a hurdle, his care team has a few promising ideas, and we feel confident in the plan forward. Once his weight starts trending upward, we hope to move toward discharge. Thank you so much to the Eden Calhoun Foundation for your ongoing support during Walter's journey!"