Jayla's story
Two-year-old Jayla loves dressing up, singing and dancing. She also loves TJ, the Children's Hospital mascot, and bounces with boundless energy when he is around.

Jayla has been a Children's Hospital patient her entire life, diagnosed with cystic fibrosis shortly after birth. Her parents, Jason and Michelle Kemp of Fulton, Mo., take preventive measures to keep Jayla well. She takes medicine every day with every meal and wears a compression vest at home for 20 minutes twice daily to aid her breathing. Still a young child, Jayla has taken antibiotics intravenously and undergone X-rays and a bronchoscopy procedure.

Jason and Michelle are grateful for the care available to their daughter right here in mid-Missouri. They appreciate the care of pediatric pulmonary physician Zarah Ner, MD, and pediatric critical care physician Patricia Wankum, MD, as well as the many other staff members focused on Jayla's health.

"It's amazing for us to have a Cystic Fibrosis Foundation-accredited care center where we live," Michelle says. "We're very fortunate that we don't have to drive to Kansas City or St. Louis. We have the best care for Jayla here in mid-Missouri."

"My daughter wouldn't be the relatively healthy, active child she is today if it were not for the proactive and ongoing medical attention she receives in Columbia."
­- Michelle Kemp, mother of Jayla, Fulton, Mo 

Want to help kids like Jayla? The generosity of donors is instrumental to the operation of Children's Hospital. To learn how you can make a gift to Children's Hospital, please call (573) 884-8883.