When Amanda Scarpinati was just three months old, a tragic accident changed her life forever. She rolled off a sofa onto a steam vaporizer, leaving her with severe burns that would require multiple reconstructive surgeries as she grew up.
In 1977, Amanda was taken to Albany Medical Center, where a compassionate nurse named Sue Berger cared for her. Despite Amanda’s painful injuries, Berger tenderly held the bandaged infant in her arms, offering comfort during a difficult time.
After being discharged, Amanda had no memory of that day but cherished the photos of herself as a baby cradled by Berger. Those images became a symbol of hope and kindness for Amanda, who endured years of bullying because of her scars. Determined to find the nurse who had shown her such compassion, Amanda turned to Facebook decades later, sharing her story and the treasured photos.
Thanks to the power of social media, Berger was quickly identified. The heartwarming reunion took place at the very hospital where their paths had first crossed, and the emotional moment was a testament to the lasting impact of small acts of kindness.
Watch the beautiful reunion between Amanda and Sue in the video below, and feel the love and gratitude that has spanned nearly four decades.
Don’t forget to SHARE this inspiring story with your friends on Facebook!
Doctors Dismiss 8-Year-Old’s Pain as a Toothache—You Won’t Believe What They Missed
Sometimes, children find it hard to express their feelings. This means parents need to be more aware of what their child needs. These parents did just that, but sadly, it was beyond their control.
At the dentist, they found that he had some swelling in his teeth, likely due to a tooth infection. But instead of getting better, the swelling continued to grow.
When nothing seemed to help and his swelling got worse, his parents quickly took their upset child to a hospital. There, they received heartbreaking news: he had tumors on his brain and spine.
What was believed to be a tooth infection turned out to be a rare type of cancer called Rhabdomyosarcoma. This cancer is so rare that it affects only about 55 children in the UK each year.
The first signs of this diagnosis are swelling or lumps that can appear on the body.
“Our world fell apart,” said Ethan’s father, Mark, in an interview.
Doctors discovered that Ethan’s cancer had spread to his lungs and bone marrow. They decided to start a strong treatment plan that included chemotherapy and radiotherapy.
But after nine months of treatment, Ethan passed away at just 9 years old.
After his death, his parents were very upset and called the treatment methods used for their son “embarrassing” and outdated. The grieving parents started a fundraiser in Ethan’s name to help support research.
Mark, Ethan’s father, described the treatment methods as “embarrassing” and said they are very outdated. They set a goal of $62,000 for their fundraiser, and about half of that has already been raised.
“We don’t want other families to go through what we’ve experienced; it’s terrible,” said Ethan’s family.
After his death, the issue of funding research on childhood cancer has been discussed in parliament, which is an important step toward ensuring more money is directed to this area.
If you found this story interesting, check out the one below about a three-year-old who passed away after dental procedures.
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