Dr. Jennifer Arnold has always been a huge inspiration for Julie, especially during her hospital stays. Julie watched Dr. Jennifer Arnold go through her own medical challenges on the TLC show “The Little Couple.” According to Julie’s mother, “Dr. Arnold had a lot of struggles, medically, and has overcome a lot of things. And Julie has realized that through the years, and kind of used that as inspiration.” 

Julie had been to John Hopkins All Children’s Hospital for treatments, and often imagined what it would be like to meet Dr. Arnold, who works there. Julie would even beg her mom to walk around the hospital looking for her idol. On her wish day, Julie arrived to the same hospital. This time, about 40 hospital staff members, and Dr. Arnold of course, were waiting for her, all wearing teal “Julianna Day” t-shirts and cheering as Julie stepped out of the limo. Once her eyes locked with Dr. Arnold, Julie made a beeline to give her a long, powerful hug, to which Dr. Arnold responded with, “She gave me such an emotional hug, it made me cry!”  

Once inside, sporting her brand-new, personalized lab coat and new neonatal stethoscope, Dr. Julie was ready to take on the day with her mentor! As a neonatologist and medical director of the Center for Medical Simulation and Innovative Education at John Hopkins All Children’s Hospital, Dr. Arnold led Dr. Julie on a personal tour to witness mockup medical emergency situations from the control room. She made molds, scars and bruises in the moulage lab. Julie even went on “rounds” in the NICU, discussing fictional patients and their treatments with the other doctors to get a taste of truly working in the neonatal unit.  

After a delicious pizza lunch and ice cream sundae bar with Dr. Arnold and a surprise guest (her husband, Bill Klein), Julie was treated to some alone time with her idol. Together they practiced neonatal medical procedures, such as intubation, on a high-tech medical mannequin. Finally, there was a trip to the roof of the 10-floor building to gear up, learn about emergency helicopter transport of patients, and take a seat inside the helicopter. “The whole experience was truly humbling,” Arnold said. “Julianna is a bright, strong and amazing young lady. To be part of her day was remarkable.”   

Wish Granters: Adam Latham & Jessica A. Martelo
Referred by Angela Raytchev, Julie’s mother 
Wish adopted by Joffrey’s Coffee and Tea Company