Three years ago, Trinity, a teen athlete, began experiencing symptoms of anemia.
"I would get tired before training or before a game started and realized I was getting slower. I was having brain fog, like the fatigue was a cloud over me," Trinity recalled of her eighth-grade soccer season.
"She tried to go up the steps, and she couldn't move – she collapsed," said her mother, Karla, remembering the moments before she rushed Trinity to the emergency room.
Trinity was referred to Avanthi Shah, M.D., Pediatric Hematologist-Oncologist at the Pauline Gill Center for Cancer and Blood Disorders at Children's Medical Center Plano and Assistant Professor at UT Southwestern. Dr. Shah worked with Trinity to find the best treatment for her anemia and ultimately gave her an iron infusion.
"We appreciate the constant communication and the education," Karla shared. After her infusion, Trinity was back on the field, playing soccer at IMG Academy, a boarding school in Bradenton, Florida, for elite student-athletes.
Her successes continued. Trinity joined the U-17 U.S. National Team and was called up for the 2024 Concacaf qualifier for the U-17 World Cup. She graduated a year early from high school and received a full scholarship to play collegiate soccer at the University of North Carolina.
Suddenly sidelined
before her knee surgery.
As she prepared to move to the University of North Carolina for her freshman year, Trinity sustained a knee injury on the FC Dallas field in Frisco. Because of the relationship between Children's Health℠ and FC Dallas and Trinity's positive previous experience at Children's Medical Center Plano, Karla took Trinity to the Children's Health Andrews Institute for Orthopaedics & Sports Medicine. "It wasn't even a question: Let's go to Children's Health," she said.
Trinity and Karla met John David Roaten, M.D., Orthopedic Sports Medicine Surgeon at the Children's Health Andrews Institute.
"She plays very high-level soccer and had a twisting injury, so we chose to do a knee arthroscopy," Dr. Roaten said of Trinity's case. The results of the knee arthroscopy confirmed that Trinity sustained a severe tear of the lateral meniscus. From there, Dr. Roaten devised a care plan to get Trinity back on the field in six to eight weeks so she could continue her collegiate soccer career and be considered for the World Cup in October.
physical therapist at Children's Health Andrews Institute and the lead physical therapist for FC Dallas.
"When I saw Trinity after her injury, it was an email and phone call to Dr. Shah, her hematologist, to understand the special precautions that we would need, if any, for surgery," Dr. Roaten added. “We have excellent communication, not just because of the physicians, but because of the infrastructure we've got at Children's Health."
After surgery, Trinity immediately began seeing Kevin Auten, a physical therapist at the Children's Health Andrews Institute and the lead physical therapist for FC Dallas.
"The priority was making sure that Trinity started her recovery off on the right foot," Auten explained. “Patient education is always key. It is important to help athletes understand what we're doing and why we're doing it."
Sticking with Children's Health
Trinity's time in Frisco was ending, with her scheduled departure for her freshman year at the University of North Carolina approaching. Trinity and her mother were given the option to transfer care to doctors in North Carolina, but they chose to stay with the team at Children's Health.
"We met with the medical team at UNC, and they understood that if anything happened to Trinity, they needed to call her team at Children's Health," Karla shared. “I wouldn't go anywhere else. Everything Trinity needs would be here. We've received exceptional care."
Within a week, Dr. Shah, Dr. Roaten and Auten were discussing Trinity's care so the team in North Carolina could pick up where they left off.
Trinity's care team stays in close touch with her coaches at UNC and the U.S. National Team, giving her confidence in the level of care she continues to receive to keep her healthy and on the playing field.
I wouldn’t go anywhere else. Everything Trinity needs would be here. We’ve received exceptional care.
"There's nowhere I've seen that has a team where everyone communicates," said Karla.
For Trinity, the relationship with her doctors and physical therapist sets her experience with Children's Health apart. Dr. Shah, Dr. Roaten and Auten continue to root for Trinity both on and off the field.
Watch Trinity's story about the world-class, specialized care that started right in her own backyard and continues wherever her journey takes her.
Expert care for pediatric anemia
Pediatric anemia happens when a child's body doesn't produce enough red blood cells. At Children's Health, our team of experts will pinpoint the exact cause of your child’s anemia and create a custom treatment plan to help them stay healthy and active. Request an appointment.
Find support for your young athlete
The specially trained sports performance experts at Children's Health Andrews Institute Sports Performance powered by EXOS can help your star athlete perform at their best, while staying healthy and safe. Learn more about our program and services.
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