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When Joe Browne rolls his electric wheelchair down the hallway at West Salem Elementary School in western Wisconsin, teachers, students and staff members instantly flock his way.

 

"Everyone loves Joe," says his 5th grade teacher, Mary Czajka.

 

Considering the monumental struggles Joe has overcome in his 12 years, one cannot help but be inspired by his impish smile.

 

Born 16 weeks early, weighing less than two pounds, and diagnosed with cerebral palsy, Joe did not even speak until he was 3. At age 4, Joe was diagnosed with a soft-tissue cancer known as Rhabdomyosarcoma. Before finishing chemotherapy, Joe also had a stroke, forcing him to learn how to talk and eat all over again.

 

On top of this, Joe has undergone more than 50 surgical procedures known as shunt revisions to help treat hydrocephalus, a condition in which excessive amounts of fluid accumulate in the brain.

 

"He keeps us busy," matter-of-factly says Joe's mom, Amy Browne.

 

While he receives much of his medical care in La Crosse, Joe has been seen by the pediatric neurosurgery team at American Family Children's Hospital since 2002. Stiffness and muscle pain resulting from spasticity and dystonia— symptoms of his cerebral palsy—continued to worsen.

 

In March 2008, UW Health Pediatric Neurosurgeon Leland Albright, MD implanted Joe with an intrathecal baclofen pump, a motorized device that automatically dispenses medication that allows Joe much more freedom of movement.

 

One of a handful of surgeons in the nation who has extensive experience implanting the pump in children, Albright is pleased to see Joe enjoying a much higher level of well-being.

 

"Patients such as Joe have many challenges, but this device really makes a positive difference both for the child and the family," Albright says. "I have treated more than 1,000 children with this pump in 20 years and most of them respond favorably."

 

Despite the two-hour drive to Madison, Joe's mom Amy says coming to American Family Children's Hospital for pediatric neurosurgery has been worth the commute.

 

"Dr. Benny Iskandar and Dr. Albright are just excellent with families, and that means everything. They tell you what to expect and leave you feeling confident when your child goes into the operating room."