Ivy Selking: 2026 Riley Champion presented by Kroger

When Ivy Selking received an invitation to share her Riley story at a pep rally in front of hundreds of her classmates, she didn’t hesitate.

“People need to know that there’s always more inside than you know,” she said.

In Ivy’s case, what you don’t see is the rare combination of diagnoses she navigates. She was diagnosed with nephrotic syndrome around Thanksgiving 10 years ago, and her medical team at Riley Children’s Health spent the next eight years trying to keep her in remission. Nephrotic syndrome is a group of symptoms that indicate kidney damage, particularly to the tiny filters in the kidney that clean the blood.

As Ivy’s mother, Tina Maldeney, explains, “Ivy’s body does not go by textbook.”

Treatment for nephrotic syndrome contributed to an onset of ulcerative colitis, and flare-ups of ulcerative colitis symptoms triggered severe relapses of nephrotic syndrome. Doctors feared they would eventually need to remove her colon or one of her kidneys.

There was no existing literature about treatment for a child with both of Ivy’s diagnoses, but Riley Children's specialists Amy Wilson, M.D., and Brian McFerron, M.D., were determined to find a solution for Ivy. After several other attempts, they took a chance on a combination of infusions that had not been tried previously on someone with nephrotic syndrome and ulcerative colitis — and it worked. Ivy has been in remission since February 2024.

“With a chronically sick kiddo, one wrong move can spiral everything,” Tina said. “The Riley doctors have always made sure everyone was on the same page before any major moves were made.”

Dr. Wilson added, “At Riley, there is a true spirit of collaboration in support of patients. That spirit is part of why Ivy’s care has been successful.”

Ivy makes the two-hour trip to Riley Hospital for Children from her hometown of Ossian once a month for infusions. Being healthier means that she misses less school and can spend the night at friends’ houses. She even attends a summer camp for kids with chronic kidney conditions.

“When I grow up, I really want to be a pediatric nurse at Riley because it’s made such a huge difference in my life,” Ivy said. Those who know her well — from her peers to her medical team — say that Ivy has always looked out for others, even on her hardest days. As one of her nominators for the Riley
Champions program shared, “Ivy is the epitome of kindness.”