Meet the Santas helping Pa. families with sick children weather holidays in hospitals

Meet the Santas helping Pa. families with sick children weather holidays in hospitals 
PennLive.com; by Sarah Boden; 12/24/24 
Katelyn Pownall wasn’t sure her 3-year-old son would ever meet Santa Claus. Nash was born with Menkes disease, a rare genetic disorder that disrupts the body’s ability to absorb and distribute copper. This causes severe damage to the nervous system, as well as connective tissue abnormalities in the skin, joints, and bones.  Menkes is terminal, and since May, Nash has lived at the Children’s Home of Pittsburgh, Pownall told Spotlight PA. The hospital provides specialized pediatric care to medically fragile children. “We just count our moments, not our days,” Pownall said. Earlier this month, Pownall and Nash relished a magical moment: They met both Santa and Mrs. Claus at the hospital. ...