Hometown: Mayfield, OH
Age on Race Day: 15
Diagnosis: Chronic Pancreatitis
After months of chronic pancreatitis exacerbated by pulmonary embolism and buildup of fluid in the abdominal cavity, Parker and his family arrived at the Nationwide Children's Hospital Emergency Department to meet with the skilled team that was going to perform a surgery known as a total pancreatectomy with islet autotransplantation or TPIAT.
“Immediately we felt a sense of relief at the knowledge and compassion of the TPIAT team,” recalls Parker’s mom, Gina. “I felt like it was the first time I could start to breath in months – we were finally getting help for Parker.”
This visit to the emergency department began a relationship with the TPIAT team that would last several months. Parker and his family met with many teams to prepare for surgery, including GI, Hematology, Interventional Radiology, Pain Management Team, Anesthesiology, Social Work, Psychology, Psychiatry, Surgery, Nutrition, Endocrinology, Nursing, Occupational Therapy, and Physical Therapy, all of whom came together to develop the best care plan for him.
After months of pre-habilitation, Parker had his TPIAT surgery on July 29, 2025.
“Thanks to the skilled and comprehensive approach from the team at Nationwide Children’s, he returned to school in the fall and is starting to enjoy being a 14-year-old boy after many months of suffering,” Gina shares. “We could never fully express our gratitude to all the caregivers who helped get Parker to where he is today.”
