Featured CDH International’s Volunteer is Amanda Plakholm. Amanda currently is the Canada International Representative and Awareness Team Member for CDHi. She is the mother to CDH survivor Elizabeth.
Amanda Plakholm is the mom to Cherub Liz. Liz is a 17 year old LCDH survivor, who was diagnosed with CDH at a 12 week routine ultrasound. Their care was then transferred to McMaster Children’s Hospital in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada. Liz had her CDH repair done at 3 days old and had lots of ups and downs. Amazingly her stay in the NICU was only one month long and then she was transferred closer to home to work on feeding issues. Liz reherniated at age 6, had a duplication cyst removed off her stomach at age 9 and two emergency surgeries to repair holes in her stomach. At age 15, Liz was diagnosed with gastroparesis and since then she has had her appendix and gallbladder removed She has had a long journey, but is an amazing young lady!
Amanda is married and has a younger daughter named Emily who was diagnosed with ABS in utero, luckily the band was gone by the time she was born. At age 12, Emily was diagnosed with Enthesitis Related Arthritis and has struggled with health issues ever since.
Family is the most important thing in the world to Amanda. They love spending time together outdoors, backpacking, snow shoeing and camping.
