Teffani Ann Tyler
c/o Texas Scottish Rite Hospital For Children
2222 Welborn Street
Dallas, Texas  75219–3993

A grateful patient tells how treatment for clubfoot has made all the difference in her life.

My story began nearly 20 years ago when I first visited "my" hospital, Texas Scottish Rite Hospital for Children (TSRHC) in Dallas. I was only one year old and had no idea what was in store for me. I was with my parents and only knew that I saw bright colors, smiling people, and a lot of children who were having fun playing in the center of a large room.

I was too small to remember the surgery on my clubfoot, but my parents kept some of the casts I wore, and every now and then, we get them out and look at them. Some are so small. Others are larger, and one has pretty pink bows painted on the front. I know that someone took extra time to paint those bows, and wondered why I was treated special. Now, I realize all TSRHC children are special in your eyes. I feel so lucky to have been a Texas Scottish Rite Hospital child.

As I visited the hospital through the years, I always saw smiling faces, happy children, bright colors on the floors and the walls, and doctors always interested in what I or my parents had to say.

Today I am visiting you for the last time, and I have a few things I would like to say. I have felt loved and cared for by my doctors and everyone at the hospital. That made all the difference in my life. I came in with a leg that wouldn't let me walk right. Today I am walking perfectly, thanks to your dedication and hard work. Now, I can play softball at a very competitive level. I have played little league and high school softball and have had a great career with many awards. I know in my heart that you made this all possible. If I had not had somewhere to go and get help, I would never have been able to achieve these honors. While my parents are my biggest fans, we are your biggest fans.

And my story is not over. It is just unfolding, and I know my future is bright. As the years go by, I will always know that I and my parents owe you everything. Thank you from the bottom of our hearts! We love you all! 

Sincerely, 
Teffani Ann Tyler 
Just One of Your Many Children
  
Note from TSRHC: There is nothing more fulfilling as a caregiver than to receive the thanks of those you care for. Over the past 77 years, many children have passed through the doors of Texas Scottish Rite Hospital for Children. Most have gone on to lead productive and fulfilling lives, long after their orthopedic or learning challenges have been corrected. But all of these children, like Teffani, are a special part of the history and healing which has made Texas Scottish Rite Hospital for Children one of the finest pediatric orthopedic centers in the nation. More than 100,000 children from all walks of life have received help from the hospital, and no family has ever been charged for their child's treatment. As our young patients near the age of 18 and their treatment program at Texas Scottish Rite Hospital is being concluded, there are often emotional farewells as these children become adults and leave our care. For her final visit to the hospital, Teffani wrote a farewell letter and asked that it be shared with others. The above article, edited for length, is her letter.