When 12-year-old Jack Adess was away at summer camp, he became very sick.
“He was complaining of chest and back pain, and the camp doctor initially thought it was a pulled muscle,” explained Jack’s mom, Sarah. “Then he spiked a high fever, and our other son, who was a camp counselor, called us and said we needed to come and get him right away.”
Sarah and her husband, Matt, took Jack to the emergency department of a hospital near their home but were told they would need a children’s hospital for the appropriate level of care. They were transferred to the pediatric intensive care unit (PICU) at Advocate Children’s Hospital – Park Ridge.
“He was diagnosed with pneumonia and empyema, which is when fluid builds up between the lung and the membrane that surrounds it.”
Jack spent five days in the PICU and underwent multiple forms of treatment and procedures. Unfortunately, the fluid in and around his lungs wasn’t clearing and he had to have surgery to remove it.
“The surgeon basically scraped out his lungs, then put in a large tube to drain the rest of the fluid,” shared Sarah. “We were in the hospital for another 10 days. It was a whirlwind, but the care we received was truly unbelievable. It was an incredible experience despite what a nightmare it was.”
Sarah and Matt are especially grateful for Jack’s caring and compassionate nurses.
“They held our hands, explained everything and talked us through what was happening. They stayed calm and were always a step ahead of what we needed. It was a scary time, but they were truly amazing.”
Jack is fully recovered now and is even proud to show off his scars. In January, he’ll celebrate his bar mitzvah. For his service project, he and his parents decided to raise funds to support the hospital’s Child Life, Creative Arts Therapies and Education department.
“The Child Life specialists came every day. They brought gaming systems, toys, fidgets and art projects,” Sarah said. “We also had an entire support system that made sure Jack was entertained. Not every family has that. We want to make sure kids in the hospital have the opportunity to play just like Jack did.”
Sarah and Matt set up a fundraising page and asked family, friends and community members to give. They were blown away by the support the project has received.
“Our story seems to touch the heart of any parent. We raised more than I ever expected – more than $10,000!”
Jack is thrilled too.
“He’s so excited and proud of it. Every day he asks what the total is,” shared Sarah. “We feel really grateful that we’re on this side of the story. It’s not a scenario most people imagine themselves in; we just had incredible care and support throughout our experience, and we’ll never forget it.”
How you can help
There are many ways to give. To support Jack’s mitzvah project, visit his family’s fundraising page. You can also learn how you can set up your own fundraising page or donate directly to a hospital or program in your community.