Landon was born with post urethral valves, PUV.  He had his first surgery at one week old. He has had 8 surgeries in his short 5 years of life. 

This is a congenital condition that occurs in 1 in 8000 baby boys.  The valves are tube-like membranes that drain urine and consequently block the passage of urine from the bladder which can cause kidney damage.

Landon was born with only one working kidney and has subsequently had the non-functioning kidney removed.  They are monitoring his creatinine levels in order to keep him out of kidney failure, but he will eventually need a kidney transplant.  The family travels routinely over an hour each way to the hospital for treatment such as lab work and surgery.

Drake is "that kid" who stands out in a crowd.  He has a big smile, a contagious laugh and an obvious love of life.  Yet, in September of 2013, he was diagnosed with a rare, aggressive form of a primary bone cancer known as osteosarcoma.

Within two weeks of his diagnosis, Drake began receiving chemotherapy.  Two months later, he had surgery to remove a tumor on his arm.  Surgery was followed by an additional thirty weeks of chemotherapy and, a year after his initial diagnosis, a second limb-salvage surgery to remove bone and muscle affected  by the osteosarcoma.

"When people hear about the intensity of Drake's treatment, they are often surprised and saddened - but he is always optimistic," says Richard, Drake's father. 

"Even at this sickest, Drake had a smile on his face."

Cancer has left Drake without full use of his left arm and in need of ongoing physical therapy.  But, his cancer is in remission and when he's not playing practical jokes, he paints and plays the piano, ukulele and ping pong.

Dignity Health - St. Rose Dominican partners with Children's Miracle Network Hospitals, the non-profit organization which raises funds for 170 children's hospitals across the United States and Canada.  As partners, 100 percent of every dollar raised in southern Nevada goes to St. Rose Dominican's pediatric and neonatal care units to provide equipment, charity care, and health education for children.  

Drake was St. Rose Dominican's Miracle Child of the Year and traveled to Disney World to attend Children's Miracle Network Hospitals' annual convention and to Washington, D.C. as St. Rose Dominican's Miracle Kid and Champion.