The Luka Dončić Foundation paid a special visit to Scottish Rite for Children, hosting an exciting party for our patients! Luka’s generous support lit up the faces of both patients and staff.
Previously published in Rite Up, 2025 – Issue 1
“This is me, this is who I am, and I am not ashamed of it,” says 17-year-old Chloe, of Panhandle, Texas. She lives by this motto. With hopes of competing in the 2028 Paralympic Games in Los Angeles, she is a rising star in adaptive track and field.
Chloe was born with fibular hemimelia in her left leg. Her fibula, the small bone in her shin, was missing. Before her first birthday, she underwent a Syme’s amputation to remove her foot and ankle joint. Chloe began learning how to walk with a prosthesis.
“We did a lot of research before deciding to amputate her leg,” says Sheryl, Chloe’s mother. “We made a decision Chloe would live with for the rest of her life, not us. Whatever decision we made was never going to be an easy one, but it was whatever would make Chloe’s life easier.”
At age 14, Chloe began receiving multidisciplinary care at Scottish Rite for Children from pediatric orthopedic surgeon Corey S. Gill, M.D., M.A., and Orthotist and Prosthetist Manager Kelsey Thompson, C.P.O., L.P.O. As her care team worked alongside her to address her specific needs, Chloe transitioned from being a multisport athlete to dedicating her talents in adaptive track and field.
She excels in running, throwing and long jumping, earning recognition as one of the 2024 U.S. Paralympics Track & Field High School Athletes of the Year.
On and off the field, Chloe’s care team supports her diverse interests. Scottish Rite prosthetists have created numerous state-of-the-art prostheses for her, including an everyday walking leg and a running blade for sprinting track events, designed to mimic the natural motion of a foot for running or jumping. Recently, the team produced a specialty prosthesis designed for long jumping, supporting her dream to go the distance and in her pursuit of Paralympic success. They also developed an adjustable heel height prosthesis to match the height of whatever shoes she chooses to wear — from cowboy boots to high heels. Chloe plans to major in kinesiology, continue adaptive track and field, and inspire other young athletes.
“Dr. Gill and Kelsey always believed in me,” Chloe says. “It feels amazing to run with kids who look like me. As long as I have my two legs, I’ll keep pushing forward and never let anything hold me back.”
As more young girls engage in football, sports medicine experts at Scottish Rite for Children seek to understand the differences in injuries between male and female athletes.
According to a report from the National Federation of State High School Associations, participation in football among girls has increased by about 30%. This surge in popularity can be linked to the milestone announcement of women’s flag football as an official Olympic sport in the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games.
Understanding the type of injuries young female football players experience is key to developing prevention methods. Scottish Rite is making strides in this area of expertise, with data that was presented at the 2025 annual Pediatric Research in Sports Medicine (PRiSM) Society meeting.
“If boys and girls experience different injuries in a sport, then they should not have the same injury prevention methods,” says Jacob C. Jones, M.D., RMSK, a sports medicine physician at Scottish Rite for Children. “Until now, it was unclear what injuries were more common in female football athletes. Most of the data available for football injuries was for male athletes.”
The study, which compared male to female football injuries in athletes ages 4-18, uncovered important findings, which are outlined below:
The top five injured body parts were:
The top five most common diagnoses for both groups were:
Males had more head (including concussions), knee and shoulder injuries. They also had a larger number of fractures and lacerations.
Females had a larger number of ankle and finger injuries. They also had more strains/sprains and contusions than their male counterparts.
As research like this continues, injury prevention programs can be designed to address the specific needs of all athletes.
What is your job title?
Social work manager
What is the most fulfilling part of your job?
I help the most vulnerable populations get access to services and resources that will help their families.
What makes Scottish Rite a special place to you?
The willingness of all staff members to help our patient families
What made you choose a career in health care?
I wasn’t necessarily looking for a career in health care. I was more drawn to working somewhere I could make a difference in the lives of children and their families.
What is something unique you get to do in your position?
Social workers serve as the connection between Scottish Rite patients and families and all providers or services involved in their care, whether those are within Scottish Rite or part of an outside organization.
What’s your favorite thing to do outside of work?
I enjoy relaxing and spending time with my son and the rest of my family. I also love to read.
Do you have any hidden talents?
I think I’m pretty good at impressions.
Where are you from, and what brought you to DFW?
I was born and raised in a Dallas suburb.
If you could travel to anywhere in the world, where would you go and why?
I would travel to Italy. I’ve heard the food is amazing.
If you had to pick one meal to eat for the rest of your life, what would it be?
Probably something with peanut butter
What movie do you think everyone should watch at least once?
“My Best Friend’s Wedding”
What was the first concert you attended?
NSYNC
Favorite DFW hidden gem?
Whistle Britches, because they have the best chicken and waffles in DFW.
If you were to have a movie based on your life, which actress/actor would you choose to play your character?
I’ve been told by others that I look like Zoe Saldaña. I think she would do me justice.
What is some advice you would give your younger self, OR what’s the best piece of advice you’ve received?
Keep hope alive.
Scottish Rite for Children’s patient-centered care stems from its focus on helping patients navigate their conditions outside of the clinic. The Therapeutic Recreation department offers multiple specialized camps throughout the year, which are designed to teach patients how to live active and independent lives.
Camps bring together children with similar conditions in an environment that fosters friendships and lifelong memories through outdoor activities and games. The following camps are offered at Scottish Rite:
What makes Scottish Rite camps special are not only the uniqueness each child brings but also each volunteer’s commitment to providing a “can do” environment. Camps are supervised by counselors, which includes Scottish Rite staff members and volunteers.
“A week at camp is not like any typical week as a nurse,” says Sheila Maldonado, R.N., who volunteers at Camp TLC. “On top of providing the fun for all our campers, counselors make sure they are healthy and safe during the entire experience. For nurses, it’s the best way to sharpen the skills we might not have used since school, while creating the most rewarding memories.”
All campers must be active patients of Scottish Rite. For staff members, many find that volunteering as a counselor is a unique way to interact with patients in a nonclinical setting.
“The best part about camp is seeing the connections made,” says R.N. Manager Alejandra “Alex” H. Medrano, M.S.N., R.N., who has volunteered for more than 20 years at Camps TLC and Joint Adventure. “They get a chance to build peer support networks. They also become more comfortable with their care team during appointments.”
The camps offered by Scottish Rite serve its mission of giving children back their childhood, allowing them to experience the joy of summer camp with their peers. “My favorite part is how inclusive these camps are and watching kids just be kids, including all the smiles, laughs, friendships and fantastic activities,” says Karol Yeager, R.N. “Out of all the activities, I think either the Slip ‘N Slide® or the zip line was my favorite to watch. The sheer joy from these kids that possibly have never done these things before was priceless!”
Camp TLC is currently accepting applications for campers and medical volunteers (cabin nurses). If you are interested in volunteering, please view the Camp Volunteer application process for more information.
To learn more about the application process, camp dates and more for Camp Joint Adventure and Hand Camps, please view our Camps page here.
