Advocate Children’s patient enjoys special pregame experience at Bulls Game
Advocate Health Care pediatric patient June Kenoe and her family joined the Chicago Bulls at the United Center Friday night for a special pregame experience before the Bulls took on the New York Knicks.
Five-year-old June, who is a patient at Advocate Children’s Hospital in Park Ridge and a huge Bulls fan, participated in the “Fan Tunnel” experience where she and her family high-fived the players on their way out to the court. They also received tickets to the game, got to meet Benny the Bull, received custom jerseys for she and her two brothers, and took photos on the court prior to tipoff.
June was diagnosed with Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis when she was just a 2-year-old. She was experiencing rashes, joint pain and a limp which led to her diagnosis. Her condition has been progressive, affecting several joints, including permanent jaw damage. Her knee joints have affected her the most, requiring a medical wagon when it flares up. She receives monthly infusion treatments to suppress her immune system to help her arthritis, along with steroids.
In a recent scan to check on the arthritis in her neck, the family received news of a rare brain and spine anomaly, completely separate to her arthritis, called Chiari Malformation and syringomyelia. Symptoms included headaches, nose bleeds, fatigue and leg weakness.
June is an inspiration to her family and those around her, enduring countless procedures, blood draws, imaging and doctor appointments with her energetic and happy personality. She is always looking out for her brothers and takes them into consideration, and loves anything rainbows, unicorn, sparkles and mascots! This is the only life she knows and has shown the family how to take it in stride, one step at a time.
“Dr. John Ruge’s team at Advocate has been nothing short of reassuring, patient and comprehensive,” said June’s mother, Katie. “They’ve taken into account her other condition to make clinical decisions safest for our daughter, and for that we are so grateful.”
June recently wished at a penny fountain that she would someday have no more doctor appointments, and would get to go to Bulls games with her brothers, Graham (13) and Nathan (9). This Bulls experience has been a reprieve amongst medical care, insurance phone calls and bills, and coordination of care.
To assist with those bills and medical costs, their hometown community in Morton Grove has rallied behind June and her family and will put on a medical benefit fundraiser to help raise money to cover treatments. The event will be held at Arlington Alehouse in Arlington Heights with a live band and food from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. on Thursday, May 16th. You can find more information on the event and how to donate at jamforjunebug.com.