| 2017 Miracle Kid Savannah Rodriguez of Beech Creek recently had her fifth birthday and came up with the idea to use her birthday to help kids like her treated at Geisinger Janet Weis Children’s Hospital.
Savannah was born prematurely at almost 27 weeks and after a 2-month stay in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) was able to go home with her parents. After being home for a short time, she stopped feeding and was having trouble moving her bowels. She became very sick and was brought back to Geisinger Janet Weis Children’s Hospitall. She underwent emergent surgery for a blockage in her bowels. Savannah suffered from malrotation and as a result lost a majority of her intestines. She needed intravenous nutrition and total parenteral nutrition for a long period of time.
“Doctors told us that whatever she was using at the age of five — such as a feeding tube or supplemental nutrition — she would have for the rest of her life,” Savannah’s mother Sabrina said. “So five years old was a monumental birthday for her since she is taking all her nutrition orally. We thought it would be nice to have a big party and thank everyone who has helped her get to this point and for her to say, ‘This is where I’m at because of your help.'”
The Rodriguezes invited more than 100 people to the party, tagged “Savannah’s Unicorn Party.” Instead of receiving presents, Savannah asked her guests to donate money to Geisinger Janet Weis Children’s Hospital to help kids like her.
“We held it in the youth center at Blanchard Church of Christ and almost everyone that was invited showed up for her party,” Sabrina said.
Savannah raised $500 during the party and had a fun check presentation at her house earlier this month with Mike McMullen from Children’s Miracle Network at Geisinger (pictured below.)
During the party when everyone began singing Happy Birthday to Savannah she began to sob and cry. When Sabrina asked her afterward why she was crying during the singing of the song, Savannah replied, “Because all of these people love me.”
 
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