CHRISTUS Children’s Foundation is proud to announce Violet Gullion, 16, as its 2025 local Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals (CMN Hospitals) champion.
Each year, CMN Hospitals members across the nation choose an ambassador to serve as the face for children treated at their local children’s hospital. This ambassador advocates for the charitable needs of children’s hospitals across the service area. By sharing first-hand experiences and inspirational stories, hospital champions and their families show how vital local, unrestricted fundraising is for CMN Hospitals members to meet the needs of their communities.
“We are thrilled to have Violet representing CHRISTUS Children’s as our CMN Hospitals champion in the new year,” said Theo Meyer, director of philanthropy, CHRISTUS Children’s Foundation. “As a nonprofit hospital, we rely on the support of the community to continue providing the level of care our patients need and deserve. Patients like Violet are proof of the transformative impact donations have on pediatric health care.”
When Violet was 12, she started losing weight, experiencing mild panic attacks, and her skin lost its color, prompting her parents to consult her pediatrician. Lab tests revealed moderate anemia, leading to a referral to pediatric hematology at CHRISTUS Children’s. Further tests diagnosed her with myeloid-lymphoid neoplasm with eosinophilia (MLN-eo), a rare hematologic condition where the bone marrow produces too many eosinophils due to a genetic mutation. This diagnosis is particularly rare in pediatric patients, especially females, making it challenging to identify. Additionally, her heart showed some damage from the condition.
Violet started immunotherapy and heart treatment, gradually improving. Today, she is thriving, attending school and participating in the marching band, despite some physical restrictions. Her treatment at CHRISTUS Children’s has been vital to her recovery. Violet aspires to a career in the medical field to help others like herself.
As the local CMN Hospitals champion for CHRISTUS Children’s, Violet will share her story while representing and advocating for CHRISTUS Children’s across the San Antonio community, at various events and with donors.
To learn more about Violet and how you can make a difference for CHRISTUS Children’s, please visit CHRISTUSChildrensFoundation.org.