Hey there, it’s me—Caleb!

I’m back to tell you more about my awesome summer and some cool stuff that’s been happening at Cincinnati Children’s!

This summer has already been so much fun! I’ve been swimming a lot and bowling with my family! We took a family trip to North Carolina and stayed in a real train caboose! We helped out on a bison farm—those guys are HUGE! Then we went to Gatlinburg, and my big sister Leah and I rode a mountain roller coaster. We even went to a pirate dinner show—ARRR!

Oh! And guess what? I got to go to a “Reverse Reds Signing” with a bunch of other kids who were also treated at Cincinnati Children’s. The baseball players all wanted our autographs! We felt like celebs!

I also want to tell you about something really special. When I’m at Cincinnati Children’s, the Child Life team always makes things better. Last year, I had to go to the Emergency Department because I had pneumonia. There were lots of doctors and nurses, and I had to wear an oxygen mask—it was really scary. But then someone from Child Life came in, gave my mom a hug, and brought me toys to help me stay calm. That made a big difference.

When I’m in the hospital, my mom always asks for a schedule right away so I can plan my visits to the Child Life activity room. I love going there to play with other kids, build LEGOs, and just have fun like I would at home. And when I can’t leave my room, they bring the fun to me—like paints, games, and building kits. It all helps me forget that I’m not feeling great.

Thanks for being a champion for kids like me. I’ll be back soon with more adventures!

Your friend,

Caleb

My name is Caleb, and I'm super excited to share my journey with you as your new Champion at Cincinnati Children's. I'm 11 years old and had a kidney transplant when I was just 5. Thanks to my awesome medical team, I'm feeling great and always ready for some fun adventures!

Here are some fast facts about me:

I love playing Pokémon!

One of my favorite activities is building epic LEGO creations.

I have fun hanging out with my dog—Kane and my big sister—Leah (I call her my second Mom).

I pretty much know everything about sharks—did you know some sharks can live for over 100 years? How cool is that?

When I grow up, I want to be a doctor at Cincinnati Children’s and help kids just like me.

I’m going to be reaching out to you throughout the year with cool updates, so you can see how your support is helping to make a big difference for kids like me who count on Cincinnati Children's.

And as the Cincinnati Children’s spokesperson for Children’s Miracle Network—that’s CMN to those of us in the know—I’ll be sharing all the new and coolest places where you can show your support through our partners.

To kick things off, guess what? National Wawa Day was on April 16, and through May 25, you can Round Up at the register to benefit the patients and families of Cincinnati Children’s. It's a super easy way to help out—just round up your change each time you visit!

Thanks for being an awesome friend and champion for Cincinnati Children’s!

Catch you later,

Caleb

Nora: Hi everyone! It's Nora! This is my last Champion Checkup. I had so much fun telling you all about my story. Now, I want you to meet our new Champion, Caleb! He's awesome!

Watch this video to see me pass the torch to him, a cool new tradition for our Champion Checkup kids, like me!

Here are some FUN FACTS about my new friend, Caleb—your 2025 Champion!

1. Age: Turning 11 this month!

2. Grade: 5th

3. Favorite subject: Everything except math

4. Favorite color: Blue

5. Favorite kind of music: 80s classic rock

6. Favorite food: Mac & Cheese

7. Favorite holiday: Christmas

8. Favorite tradition: Kidney Anniversary

9. Favorite toy: Lego

10. Hobbies: Drawing, Playing Nintendo Switch, Bowling and Playing Outside 

11. Dream career: Doctor 

12. Favorite family activity: Playing board games 

Nora: Caleb and I are like two peas in a pod! I'm super-duper excited to follow his amazing story here at Cincinnati Children's. It's going to be so much fun! 

Emily: And we can't thank you enough for following ours. We wish you all the best, Caleb, and hope you have as much fun as we did!

Bye for now!

Emily + Nora