Iroquois Steeplechase Announces Child Ambassador for 2022 Race Meet
Mattie Ann Harwell to serve as the child ambassador for the 2022 Iroquois Steeplechase
NASHVILLE, Tenn. – The Iroquois Steeplechase sponsored by Bank of America, benefiting Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt is pleased to announce the child ambassador of the 2022 Iroquois Steeplechase, Mattie Ann Harwell. The Iroquois Steeplechase and Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt have chosen Mattie Ann to represent patients in Middle Tennessee and beyond, conveying a message of triumph and positivity at this year’s race meet.
“The tradition of choosing a child ambassador is a preeminent decision of the race committee and Children’s Hospital,” said Dwight Hall, chairman of the Iroquois Steeplechase Race Committee. “Mattie Ann is the ideal ambassador for the 2022 Iroquois Steeplechase because of her fighting spirit through two major medical conditions. Mattie Ann is a champion of Children’s Hospital and her story deserves to be celebrated.”
In 2018, Mattie Ann was diagnosed with eosinophilic esophagitis, an immune system disease that causes stomach pain and difficulty swallowing. Her family turned to Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt, where she received regular endoscopies, steroids and protein pump inhibitors. During one of Mattie Ann’s scopes, she suffered a laryngospasm and had to be intubated. Fortunately, she made a full recovery and entered remission.
In 2021, Mattie Ann’s journey with Children’s Hospital continued when she suffered two broken growth plates in her right ankle, followed by another break a few months later. As a result of the repeated trauma, she developed Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (CRPS) and underwent months of therapy and medication. Thanks to Children’s Hospital, her CRPS is resolved.
“Whenever I have to go into the hospital, all of the nurses and doctors at Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt make me feel safe,” said Mattie Ann. “If I am scared about a procedure, they make me smile and laugh. My doctors talk to me and help me understand what is going to happen. I trust them and know I’m going to be okay.”
As an avid equestrian, Mattie Ann trains three days a week to work towards her dream of becoming an Olympic horseback rider. She also has a passion for music and had a lead role in her school’s musical. During the winter months, Mattie Ann can be found on the basketball court guarding and making shots for her team, the Lady Tigers. Her teachers and peers describe her as confident, compassionate, focused and highly motivated.
Recently, Mattie Ann was suffering severe stomach pains and a decreased appetite. She was seen promptly by her Children’s Hospital gastroenterologist and was diagnosed with IBS-C. Now with new medication, she is doing well and even travelled with her horse to compete at the World Equestrian Center. She proudly took home sixth place out of a large pool of competitors from all over the United States and Canada.
To make a difference for more patients like Mattie Ann and help life-changing care like this continue, please visit Give.VanderbiltHealth.org/steeplechase.
About The Iroquois Steeplechase
The Iroquois Steeplechase is an iconic sporting event that has been Nashville's rite of spring since 1941. Held the second Saturday of each May at Percy Warner Park, the annual event attracts more than 25,000 spectators and is Music City's celebration of time-honored traditions, Tennessee hospitality and southern fashions. The event also supports several philanthropic causes and has donated nearly $11 million to Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt since 1981. To learn more about Steeplechase, visit www.iroquoissteeplechase.org.
About Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt
Monroe Carell Jr. Children's Hospital at Vanderbilt is one of the nation's leading children's hospitals, treating and helping to prevent a full range of pediatric health issues from colds and broken bones to complex heart diseases and cancer. Achieving 10 out of 10 nationally ranked pediatric specialties in 2021, Children’s Hospital was again named among the nation’s “Best Children’s Hospitals” for the 15th consecutive year by U.S. News & World Report. Additionally, Children’s Hospital earned the distinction as the No. 1 pediatric hospital in Tennessee, and in a new regional ranking, sharing first place in the Southeast Region.
Monroe Carell Jr. Children's Hospital at Vanderbilt, a nonprofit organization, opened in 2004, expanded its physical space in 2012, and recently added four new floors encompassing 160,000 total sq. ft. The new expansion helps to advance the size and scope of the hospital's mission. For more about Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt: ChildrensHospitalVanderbilt.org
