Introducing 2019 Local Champion Caden Buth
UF Health Shands Children’s Hospital is excited to announce our 2019 Local Champion, Caden Buth!
Caden has been receiving treatment at UF Health Shands Children’s Hospital since he was an infant. At only 4 weeks old, Caden was diagnosed with severe Hemophilia A, a bleeding disorder where the body does not make enough factor to create a clot and stop bleeding. If left untreated, hemophilia can cause severe joint damage and life-threatening bleeds. In addition to Hemophilia A, Caden was also diagnosed with an Inhibitor, an antibody that eats his factor and requires the use of a different factor, called a bypassing agent. “[Caden] has never known a life without hemophilia or Shands. Shands is as normal to his life as daycare,” said his mother, Christina.
Living with a rare condition has presented many challenges for Caden and his family. In 2015, the port where Caden received his factor injections became infected and landed Caden in the hospital for 6 weeks. During this time, the Buth family to uprooted their lives from Tallahassee, Florida to be with Caden full-time at UF Health Shands Children’s Hospital in Gainesville. His doctors eventually decided to remove his port and place a Broviac catheter. Caden’s treatment regimen changed again in April 2017 when doctors started immunosuppression to decrease his inhibitor. While this worked for a few months, the results were not lasting. In November 2017, the FDA approval of a new weekly subcutaneous hemophilia therapy brought about another change to Caden’s treatment plan. Caden began this treatment in the spring of 2018 and has continued receiving weekly injections since then. He has had no bleeds since starting the new treatment and was even able to have his port removed in July 2018 just before starting kindergarten in the fall bleed-free!
Caden is a positive and energetic child who spreads joy to all he meets. He likes to spend his free time drawing and playing dinosaurs. Caden loves participating in Dance Marathon and is often found hanging out with his “DM besties.” At Dance Marathon at FSU 2018, you could find Caden dancing his way around the Civic Center and joining the Morale Captains in welcoming the Dancers to the event. Caden is a great big brother to his sister Cailani and likes to remind his family that they are “always a team.” When Caden grows up, he wants to be a Police Officer or a DJ.
Caden and his family are so excited to have the opportunity to spread awareness about Caden’s rare condition and the care provided to local children and their families at UF Health Shands Children’s Hospital. “The level of care at Shands means everything to my family and [Caden’s] care,” said Christina. “The staff always make Caden’s recovery a priority and without that I don’t know where we would be. Shands is invaluable and always puts the children first.”
We are so excited to have Caden and the Buth Family representing our hospital this year!