Three-Year-Old Anna Participates in RSV Clinical Trial

Clinical trials patient Anna O'Connor, 3,
catches a moment of wonder in Children's
cafeteria

"I knew that RSV was a very dangerous virus and that it could be fatal for preemies," said Liz O'Connor, who witnessed newborns suffering from the respiratory illness while her daughter, Anna, stayed in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) for nearly six months as an infant. "I saw first-hand the way children suffered from the effects of this virus."

Now three years old, Anna recently recovered from respiratory synctial virus (RSV) after presenting in Children's Hospital Colorado emergency department with low oxygen levels. She has since enrolled in a clinical trial that hopes to find a vaccine to prevent RSV. 

RSV infects the lungs and breathing passages and is a common cause of respiratory illnesses including bronchiolitis and pneumonia, in young children. Anna is among more than 100,000 children in the U.S. admitted to hospitals for RSV.

"One of the nurses, Shar Goodman, came to me and talked to me about the trial," said O'Connor. "I was a big proponent for it because it is such a scary virus."

Anna's trials began almost immediately, with periodic blood draws over the following two months.

Taking an 'Owie' for RSV

"Anna really understood that she was helping other kids," said O'Connor. Anna surprised her mom and caregivers when she said, according to O'Connor, "It's an 'owie' thing but I'm helping other kids so it's okay," referring to her blood draws.

"All the doctors and all the nurses that worked with us were so fantastic," said O'Connor. "They were great with Anna."

Those "fantastic" doctors and nurses hail from Children's Hospital Colorado Breathing Institute, a multidisciplinary service offering top-notch pulmonary care to children and adolescents. These practitioners offer expertise in a wide range of pulmonary conditions, ranging from common breathing problems to more complex afflictions, like rare diffuse lung disease, pulmonary hypertension and asthma.

Providing professional education while advancing research, the institute prides itself in its experience in treating the spectrum of breathing conditions in children from diverse backgrounds.

"People come here from all over the world," said Robin Deterding, MD/DO, a leading pulmonary physician at Children's. The individual level of personalized care patients receive at Children's is unprecedented, Dr. Deterding explained, yet another reason why Children's is known as one of the top "centers of excellence around the country."

Thanks to those doctors, O'Connor can focus on her talkative, energetic and animated daughter, whose participation in clinical trials provides hope for children who may contract RSV in the future.

"Anna has recovered very well from RSV," said O'Connor, "More than anything, I just want to see her continue to prosper."

Learn more about Children's Hospital Colorado Breathing Institute.