The stakes couldn't have been higher.
16-year-old Charlotte Vinson started with a fever and body aches. Within three days, she suffered from toxic shock syndrome caused by strep bacteria. A standout volleyball player committed to play at Indiana, Charlotte quickly went from being in peak physical condition to all her organs shutting down.
Charlotte needed the right technology and talent to save her life. She found that when she arrived by IU Health LifeLine helicopter at Riley Hospital for Children on May 15, 2024. Immediately, she was placed on a ventilator and dialysis.
“The next day was unequivocally the worst day of my life,” said Charlotte’s mother, Erin Vinson. “That was the day we got very close to losing her.”
The decision was made to place Charlotte on extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO), a machine that supports the functions of the heart and lungs. Fortunately for Charlotte, Riley Children’s Health doesn’t just offer ECMO, it excels at it. Riley Children’s is recognized as a Platinum Center of Excellence by the Extracorporeal Life Support Organization, an association providing global leadership in ECMO support.
Riley’s world-class care extends beyond technology to the seamless coordination required for critically ill patients. Charlotte was supported by a full team of specialists, including a cardiologist, pulmonologist, neurologist, an infectious disease expert, and a staff of highly trained nurses.
“It’s easy to think, ‘not my child,’ but this could have happened to anyone,” said Courtney Rowan, M.D., Pediatric Critical Care Medicine, who was the attending physician the night Charlotte arrived. “Charlotte was perfectly fine and healthy — until she wasn’t. Riley offers a full complement of sub-specialty care, which is critical when you have a complex case like Charlotte’s.”
Once Dr. Rowan and her team stabilized Charlotte, a new problem emerged. Dr. Rowan would need to rely on the kindness of strangers to solve it. Charlotte’s hospital room was crowded with nurses and machines, so much so that her father, Phil, who uses a wheelchair, couldn’t get close enough to be by her bedside.
“There was a larger room available, and I asked the family of the child being cared for in that room if they could move to accommodate Charlotte," said Dr. Rowan.
Without hesitation, this family agreed. Dr. Rowan knew how important it was for both of Charlotte’s parents to be at the bedside.
“Moving out of their room really speaks to the generosity of the other Riley family, as well as the caring of our entire team,” said Dr. Rowan.
Riley Children’s is also home to Dr. Brian Gray, surgical director of ECMO. He coordinated the surgeries needed to connect – and later disconnect – Charlotte from the machines keeping her alive. Dr. Gray and the entire ECMO team regularly take part in simulations to prepare for Riley kids like Charlotte.
“We do a lot of simulation training because we need to know how to use the equipment, but also how to troubleshoot at the drop of a hat,” Dr. Gray said. “It’s like flying a plane. The wrong move in a high-risk situation can have a bad outcome.”
Riley Hospital has provided ECMO support since 1987. The depth and breadth of expertise from decades of treating many critically ill kids are reflected in Riley’s ECMO survival rate being higher than the national average for pediatric patients. Charlotte’s best shot at survival was at Riley.
Charlotte recalls being on the rooftop of Riley Hospital for Children in downtown Indianapolis at the time the helicopter landed, but that’s all she remembers until she woke up over a week later. Having no memory of her trauma is an optimal experience for a critical patient.
“More and more ECMO patients will have not only good outcomes, but like Charlotte, good experiences too,” said Dr. Gray. “It’s through donor support that we’re able to expand our programs from the base level of care to innovation and high-level ECMO training.”
After four weeks in the hospital, rehab, and follow-up appointments, Charlotte returned to the court on September 3, 2024. That first game was an emotional one for her parents, coach and teammates. The opposing team gave Charlotte a standing ovation.
Since her Riley stay, Charlotte led Yorktown High School to a state title game appearance and was named Ms. Volleyball by the Indiana High School Volleyball Coaches Association. She graduated in December 2024 and played her last club season this spring. She will play for the Hoosiers this fall and is considering majoring in sports psychology.
“When the health of your child is declining rapidly and quick decision-making is necessary, the amount of trust placed in these providers is immense,” said Erin. “The staff at Riley shoulders this responsibility with confidence, competence and compassion.”
Charlotte is now part of an over century-long legacy at Riley Children’s, replete with intellectual innovation, the latest technology, and a lot of hard work. That legacy also includes a connection to the “Father of ECMO,” Robert Bartlett, M.D., who has run a lab at the University of Michigan for over five decades. Years ago, Dr. Gray worked with Dr. Bartlett side-by-side in that lab. Now 85, Dr.
Bartlett fondly remembers Dr. Gray.
“He was one of my very best residents, and a great surgeon,” said Dr. Bartlett.
And like a thread being pulled through Dr. Bartlett’s lab directly to the providers
at Riley, a desire to save even more Indiana children’s lives with continual improvements in ECMO was passed on.
“Learning from Dr. Bartlett and bringing that knowledge to Riley is an honor,” said Dr. Gray. “But we want to continue to get better for the next patient and the next family, so we can provide everyone with the best support possible.”