SYRACUSE—Kendalyn Illu has spent her whole life in and out of the hospital but that hasn’t stopped her from being a happy, energetic 11-year-old. The Bluff Ridge Elementary school fifth grader was surprised at a special school assembly on Friday, Feb. 13, when she was told that she had been selected by Children’s Miracle Network as a National Champion. As National Champion she will represent 170 children’s hospitals nationwide in 2026.

Kendalyn is a patient at Intermountain Health Primary Children’s Hospital. She was diagnosed with chronic intestinal pseudo-obstruction (CIPO), a rare gastrointestinal disorder. Because she has complete intestinal failure Kendalyn can’t eat. She receives nutrition through a central line that helps her grow and live.

“This has been 11 years of her going to Primary Children’s,” said her mother, Karissa. “She’s had a lot of lows but far more highs. She is able to participate in so many things when she’s in the hospital.”

She does art therapy and dance therapy and music therapy, said Karissa. “They have child life specialists who come in and bring in a whole bunch of toys or whatever she wants to make her stay the best possible.”

Kendalyn has had a lot of long stays where she’s missing school and missing opportunities for a normal childhood. “But thanks to Primary’s and thanks to Children’s Miracle Network she’s able to still get her schooling done at the hospital.”

Karissa said Kendalyn is a positive, upbeat kid. “I honestly think when you go through a lot of hard things, you can either choose to make your life miserable or choose to make it really great. Thankfully she has chosen the path of finding the good in every situation.”

She’s just a really brave kid, said Karissa. “I think when you have a brave kid it also helps you as an adult.”

Kendalyn was selected because of her positive attitude and for being a good role model for other children, said Shanelle Larsen, program director for Children’s Miracle Network. “We rely on our relationships with child life specialists and our music therapists and our nurses to identify families that they think would be willing to share their story.”

 Being in the hospital as a child and as a family can be really difficult and a lot of people potentially don’t want to share their story, she said. “The Illus were willing to share their journey.”

As a National Champion, Kendalyn will be the face of a few different campaigns, Larsen said. “Locally, you’ll see her picture around the community with different corporate partners. Kendalyn will be the champion for a national Costco campaign for Children’s Miracle Network.”

That means her face will be in every single Costco in the United States, she said. “From May 1 to May 31 they’ll be sharing her story, her video, her photo.”

She was also chosen to be the patient champion for General Mills, said Larsen. “That means she gets to have her face on a General Mills cereal box. I feel like that’s a childhood dream for a lot of kids.”

Kendalyn is a wonderful representation of the patients that are treated at Primary Children’s, she said. “She is one of the bravest, sweetest children I have ever met. I’m grateful that Children’s Miracle Network saw that as well and wanted to recognize her at that national level.”

“This was a surprise,” said Kendalyn. “I almost cried.”

Kendalyn said she didn’t really know why she was selected. “Maybe they just thought that we were right for it. Not because they thought ‘oh she deserves it.’ I like to help advocate for other kids.”

Kendalyn is also a talented dancer and has performed in the “Nutcracker.” “I’ve been dancing ever since I was 3,” she said. “Last year was my second year. I was in the Chinese dance and I was a cookie and I’m hoping that I can be Clara, the main role.”

Reggie, a standard poodle, stays close to Kendalyn’s side helping her throughout the day. “I have IV nutrition and he helps alert me if it’s leaking or he helps me when my stomach’s hurting. I say ‘pressure’ and he’ll jump on my stomach and apply pressure on my stomach which makes it feel OK.”

“I don’t think I should probably say she is my example for doing good,” said Karissa. “But she is.”