Mary Whitfill
Features Editor
After rebounding from several severe medical procedures, 7-year-old Mockingbird Elementary student Chayse Taylor has strived to raise money for children’s medical research and give back to the community of hospitals that helped him in his time of need.
While playing on a bounce house with other children attending his summer camp, Chayse suffered an accident that sent him into emergency surgery at Medical City Hospital in August 2010. After another child slipped and landed on him, Chayse endured a blowout fracture of his Orbit, the cavity of the skull where the eye is situated.
Once recovering from his procedure, the hospital ran an MRI scan of his skull, to insure that the bone was set to heal properly. When they took a second look at the scan, they found a benign brain tumor.
“As awful as it was, the accident really was a blessing in disguise,” Chayse’s mother Lisa Taylor said. “Luckily, the tumor wasn’t cancerous and he wasn’t yet showing any symptoms, but if we hadn’t found it until he was a teenager or adult, it could have done some serious damage.”
Chayse went into surgery at Children’s Medical Center on Nov. 2 and recovered faster than anyone had predicted.
“They told us that at the very best, we should expect to get out of the hospital in three to five days,” Lisa said. “He was discharged and running around in two. The right side of his face was paralyzed for a few months, but other than that he recovered extremely well. Not once did he complain or show fear.”
Since getting back to school, Chayse has jumped head first into his favorite activities, playing his first season of baseball for the Coppell Reds. In addition, he recently raised a Mockingbird Elementary record breaking amount of money for Jump Rope for Heart. Jump Rope for Heart is a fundraiser sponsored by the American Heart Association hosted each year by CISD elementary schools. Chayse single handedly raised $1,026.
“All of our friends and family were so inspired by him and his strength that when he decided to do this to help other kids everyone was eager to help,” Lisa said. “I think the prizes that the kids get are was initially inspired him to participate and once he started asking for donations the money started pouring in and he got really excited to help.”
Chayse spent an hour and a half straight jumping rope to earn the donations and his prizes, but unlike most students who participate, he decided to donate all of his prizes back to Children’s Medical Center. Because he raised over $1,000, Chayse earned all the prizes available, including a jump rope, a soccer ball, a set of walkie talkies and a RipStik skateboard.
“I think people will be really happy that I donated all these toys and that what I meant to do— make kids happy with the toys,” Chayse said.
