'They were beyond amazing:' OU Health pediatricians make rare diagnosis
An 11-year-old metro boy is finding a new normal after being diagnosed with Guillain-Barre Syndrome at Oklahoma Children's Hospital, and his mother is sharing the importance of advocating for your child.
Saturday, February 15th 2025, 6:46 pm
By: Cameron Joiner
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An 11-year-old metro boy is finding a new normal after being diagnosed with Guillain-Barre Syndrome at Oklahoma Children's Hospital, and his mother is sharing the importance of advocating for your child.
The condition causes muscle weakness and can worsen quickly. It is a rare disorder that affects only a few thousand people in the United States each year.
“Gage loves to fish, loves to play games," Candi Sanders, Gage’s mom said.
He's a grey belt in jiu-jitsu, a huge Thunder fan, and a twin brother.
Candi said it’s not unlike the boys to get sick at the same time.
In November, they both came down with walking pneumonia, but Gage did not recover quickly like his brother, Cash.
“We noticed that his arms were starting to feel heavy,” Candi said.
“It was like I couldn't pick up very many things. I couldn't, like, pull,” Gage said. “It’s super scary and it’s very painful also.”
Suddenly he was unable to hold a pencil, tie his shoes, hold a fork, or even walk properly.
“I knew something was seriously wrong with my child,” Candi said.
That's when the family turned to Oklahoma Children's Hospital.
“He had some inflammation that was concerning for something called Guillain-Barre syndrome, which causes weakness in his muscles,” Dr. Matt Le, one of Gage’s pediatricians, said.
The condition affects only a few thousand people in the United States every year.
Dr. Le said Gage's case took teamwork from several departments.
“Our team was really focused, and Gage's mom was really advocating for us to make that diagnosis,” Dr. Le said.
“They were beyond amazing, and they just promised me that no matter how difficult this case got, they were not going to give up on him,” Candi said.
With treatment, the hope is that Gage can one day return to what he loves: jiu-jitsu and Thunder games.
“I know no matter what, he is going to make the best out of whatever life looks like from here on,” Candi said.
Meanwhile, Candi has a message to share with other parents.
“Trust your instinct. Get help the moment you know something's not right,” she said.
Cameron Joiner
Cameron Joiner joined the News 9 team as a Multimedia Journalist in January of 2023. Cameron was born and raised in Sugar Land, Texas, just outside of Houston. Though she is a Texan at heart she has fallen in love with Oklahoma. She came to the Sooner State to attend OU, where she majored in Broadcast Journalism.
