BREAKING THROUGH with Madeline Bell

For Philadelphia Eagles President and longtime Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP) volunteer Don Smolenski, success is built on trust and care – and connecting with the community means everything. In the new episode of Breaking Through, Don joins Madeline to talk about what the team means to the city – and what makes the partnership between the Eagles and CHOP so special. It’s an inspiring ...

When baby KJ was diagnosed with a rare metabolic disorder, the team at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP) had a unique treatment option for him: a personalized gene editing therapy developed in collaboration with Penn Medicine. On this episode, Madeline speaks to CHOP geneticist Dr. Rebecca Ahrens-Nicklas, who describes how KJ’s first-of-its-kind treatment was developed – and what this ama...

Earlier this year, baby KJ became the first patient in the world to receive a personalized gene editing therapy, which was developed by a team at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP) and Penn Medicine. In June, KJ went home after spending more than 300 days at CHOP. On this episode of Breaking Through, Madeline speaks to KJ’s parents, Kyle and Nicole, about the treatment that changed KJ’s li...

This Women’s History Month, we are celebrating the life and legacy of one of Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia’s original breakthrough makers: pediatric oncologist Dr. Audrey Evans. In 1969, Dr. Evans became the first woman to serve as Chief of CHOP’s Division of Oncology, and she went on to co-found the first Ronald McDonald House. AUDREY’S CHILDREN, a film based on Dr. Evans’ life, will be rel...

Teams at Children's Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP) are committed to delivering breakthroughs for patients, including keeping them safe from injury – the leading cause of death and acquired disability for children. In this episode of Breaking Through, Madeline talks to CHOP expert Dr. Kristy Arbogast about how caregivers can keep kids safe during fall sports season and beyond – and about the work...

Sickle cell disease is an inherited blood disorder that often causes debilitating pain and life-threatening complications. Many patients with the disease make dozens of ER visits a year, and must receive regular blood transfusions. And though recent breakthroughs in gene therapy are giving patients with sickle cell new hope – and new options – accessing these therapies can be challenging. In this...

The team at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP) believes that mental health is just as important as physical health – and they’re working together to find solutions to the pediatric mental health crisis. In this episode of Breaking Through, Dr. Catharyn Turner, CHOP’s Medical Director of Acute Inpatient Psychiatry, joins Madeline to discuss the innovative work CHOP is leading to improve acc...

From the time Elijah was a baby, he had many painful symptoms – and no one could determine what was wrong. But when Elijah was a toddler, his family finally found answers at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia. In this episode of The Breakthrough Chronicles, 12-year-old Elijah and his parents talk to Madeline about how teams at CHOP transformed his health – and his life.

Tenlee was born with a rare heart condition and had a heart transplant at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia when she was just 5 months old. And though she’s doing well today, her journey has been very challenging. In this episode of The Breakthrough Chronicles, Tenlee’s parents, Jami and Nick, speak with Madeline about the challenges Tenlee has overcome – and how their family’s experience at CHO...

While growing up in West Philadelphia, Kareem saw firsthand the devastating impact trauma and violence can have on children. In this episode of The Breakthrough Chronicles, he and Madeline discuss the sport that changed his life – and the role that hospitals like Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia have to play in helping children cope with trauma.

When Hannah was a baby, she was diagnosed with a rare eye disease that usually leaves patients completely blind. But Hannah’s story turned out differently thanks to an incredible gene therapy developed at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia and Penn Medicine. In this episode of The Breakthrough Chronicles, 11-year-old Hannah and her mom, Amy, share their family’s inspiring story with Madeline – an...

Emily was just 6 years old when she received CAR T cell immunotherapy for relapsed leukemia at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia. Emily was the very first child to receive this groundbreaking treatment – and in 2022, she celebrated 10 years cancer free. In this episode of The Breakthrough Chronicles, Emily and her father, Tom, speak with Madeline about what it’s like to be part of a medical brea...

When Addy and Lily Altobelli were born in CHOP’s Garbose Family Special Delivery Unit, they needed highly specialized care because they were conjoined – their bodies were connected at the chest wall, diaphragm and liver. After spending almost a year in intensive care at CHOP, they were separated during a 10-hour surgery – and today, they’re thriving. Their parents, Dom and Maggie, join Madeline to...

Hematologist and oncologist Denise Adams, MD, specializes in treating vascular anomalies, which occur when arteries, capillaries, veins or lymphatic vessels fail to develop correctly. She joins Madeline to discuss what the future holds for her field – and the surprising advice that inspired her to move forward in her career.  

Our mitochondria make the energy that keeps us alive. Geneticist Marni Falk, MD, joins Madeline to discuss what happens when our mitochondria don’t work properly, the breakthroughs she and her team are making for patients with mitochondrial disease, and the importance of having a strong vision for your career.

While growing up in Panama, Diva DeLeón-Crutchlow, MD, MSCE, always wanted to understand how things worked. She speaks to Madeline about how her curiosity led her to pursue a career in medicine – and the work she’s doing today to develop new treatments for congenital hyperinsulinism and diabetes.

Pediatric and fetal surgeon Holly Hedrick, MD, has made life-changing breakthroughs for children with congenital diaphragmatic hernia and other rare birth defects. She joins Madeline to talk about the advice her mentors shared with her along the way – and the children who continue to inspire her every day.

In 2021, Susan Furth, MD, PhD, was named CHOP’s Chief Scientific Officer, becoming the first woman in CHOP’s 166-year history to hold this prestigious role. She joins Madeline to discuss CHOP’s trailblazing Frontier Programs, the importance of mentorship, and what the future holds for research at CHOP.

Strange symptoms with no clear cause. Medical histories that mystify even the most experienced doctors.  Dr. Ian Krantz, Co-Director of CHOP’s Roberts Individualized Medical Genetics Center , specializes in solving “medical mysteries” – and he and his team have found answers for many patients who had almost given up hope. He joins Madeline to discuss the latest advances in precision medicine, why...

The idea of repairing birth defects before babies are born seemed like a radical one to many. But Dr. Scott Adzick, Director of CHOP’s Center for Fetal Diagnosis and Treatment , was determined to pursue it – and today, he’s considered a pioneer in the field of fetal surgery. He shares insights from his remarkable career with Madeline and reveals some of the incredible breakthroughs that are on the...

World-renowned hematologist and scientist Dr. Katherine High has spent much of her career focused on achieving a goal few believed was possible: developing gene therapies and getting them to patients. Dr. High joins Madeline to talk about her journey from idea to breakthrough – and what it was like to create Spark Therapeutics, a company based on her innovations.

This fall, CHOP will celebrate an important milestone: the grand opening of its new hospital in King of Prussia, Pa. Dr. Jan Boswinkel, the Chief Operating Officer of the King of Prussia hospital , joins Madeline to talk about what this milestone means for patients, families and the community – and shares what it’s like to build a new hospital from the ground up.

The team at CHOP’s Cardiac Center has been making life-changing breakthroughs for children for many years. The center’s co-director, pediatric heart surgeon Dr. Jonathan Chen, joins Madeline to discuss his team’s latest innovations – and to share his vision for the future of pediatric cardiac care.

How do the COVID-19 vaccines work? How concerned should we be about the new COVID-19 variants? Dr. Paul Offit, Director of CHOP’s  Vaccine Education Center , is one of the leading voices in the vaccine conversation. On this special bonus episode, he joins Madeline to discuss the COVID-19 vaccines, the cutting-edge technology used to make them, and what the future might look like as more people get...

What makes COVID-19 different from other infectious diseases? Pediatric infectious disease specialist Dr. Susan Coffin , discusses her research on how the SARS-CoV-2 virus is transmitted, talks about how the virus affects children, and shares advice to help parents and families make decisions about everything from playdates to sports.