When Lamar was born in Florida, he suffered many medical complications. He was born prematurely, and as a result, has significant neurodevelopmental impairment, along with many other medical problems. Lamar had been in foster care for about 7 years – almost his whole life - when his adoptive parents, Jamie and Anthony, first met him. In 2020, Jamie and Anthony were able to officially adopt Lamar and bring him to Colorado to receive the specialized care he needed. When Lamar got to his new home, he weighed just 29 pounds; he was in intestinal failure and could not retain the food and nourishment he needed to thrive. He had a gastrostomy tube (also called a G-tube) inserted in his belly that provided nutrition directly to his stomach, but his body was not able to tolerate the g-tube feedings, making him severely malnourished.  

The team at Children’s Hospital Colorado was determined to help Lamar, and within two days had a plan to help him get the nourishment he needed. Over the next year and a half, Lamar’s care team addressed his biggest challenges to improve his quality of life. Lamar now has a tracheostomy - a tube inserted in his windpipe - to help him breathe. He also now weighs 75 pounds, continuing to gain weight and get healthier. He’s in school, and after living most of his life not being able to communicate, he can now convey his feelings through an eye-gaze device, which has pre-programmed phrases. Lamar is a silly kid who has an infectious smile and loves his mom.