The Power of Hope

North Texas family finds hope after son is diagnosed with rare, life-threatening fetal condition

What began as a routine 20-week ultrasound quickly turned into a life-altering moment for Melanie and Andy Allen. Their unborn son, Link, was diagnosed with congenital diaphragmatic hernia (CDH). CDH is a rare condition in which a hole in the diaphragm allows abdominal organs to move into the chest, limiting the unborn baby’s lung development.

In Link’s case, the diagnosis was severe. Link’s parents had been told that the entire left side of their son's diaphragm was missing, which caused his stomach and other organs to shift into his chest, pushing his heart and lungs aside. The family’s local care team informed them that even with surgery, Link’s chances of survival were only 50-50.

Determined to explore every possible option, the Allens searched for a medical center with deep experience in treating complex fetal conditions. That search led them to Children’s Memorial Hermann Hospital in Houston, home to a nationally recognized program for CDH and other high-risk fetal diagnoses.

$Children\u2019s Memorial Hermann Hospital$

Photo courtesy of Children’s Memorial Hermann Hospital

Meet Link Allen

The CDH program at Children’s Memorial Hermann Hospital takes a multidisciplinary approach for both prenatal and postnatal care and treatment, with affiliated UTHealth Houston physicians delivering highly specialized fetal care at The Fetal Center at Children's Memorial Hermann Hospital.

The Fetal Center is recognized nationally as a leader in fetal care and interventions for infants with complex issues. For care and treatment after delivery and beyond, the affiliated pediatric surgery team provides specialized CDH postnatal surgery, extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) management and follow-up care.

Melanie’s doctor referred the couple to Matthew Harting, MD, associate professor of Pediatric Surgery at McGovern Medical School at UTHealth Houston and an affiliated pediatric surgeon at Children’s Memorial Hermann Hospital. Andy recalled his surprise and gratitude when Dr. Harting personally called his cell phone the same day he submitted an online inquiry. This direct and accessible approach helped persuade the family to travel to Houston.

Soon after, Andy and Melanie met with the multidisciplinary team, including Dr. Harting and Anthony Johnson, DO, professor of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences at UTHealth Houston and co-director of The Fetal Center. Together, they outlined a coordinated care plan for Melanie and Link. Among the options discussed was fetoscopic endoluminal tracheal occlusion (FETO), an advanced prenatal procedure to help stimulate lung growth in utero.

Given the complexity of Link’s condition, the team planned carefully. Dr. Johnson explained that due to how underdeveloped Link’s lungs were, they anticipated he would face significant respiratory challenges immediately after birth and would likely require ECMO, a form of heart-lung life support.

Andy admitted the family was initially hesitant about the FETO procedure. They were mindful of the risks, which the doctors explained thoroughly. After careful consideration, the Allens decided to temporarily relocate to Houston for the procedure and the remainder of Melanie’s pregnancy.

When Melanie delivered at 36 weeks, the team was prepared. Link required immediate support, including ECMO, to allow his lungs time to function. Dr. Harting later performed a complex operation to reposition Link’s organs and reconstruct his diaphragm, a critical step in his recovery. Link then spent 63 days in the hospital’s Level IV neonatal intensive care unit (NICU), guided by a coordinated team of specialists.

Today, Link is a thriving, energetic toddler. For the Allens, the experience highlighted the importance of specialized, team-based care. Andy expressed his confidence in their decision, noting that the team was prepared for every contingency and knew exactly what to do at each turn, which gave them assurance that Link was in the best possible hands.

Learn more about congenital diaphragmatic hernia care at Children’s Memorial Hermann Hospital .

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remembering injustice

New downtown park will shine a light on a dark part of Houston's past

Photo by Jef Rouner

Harris County Commisioner Rodney Ellis and Rep. Al Green posing in front of new historical markers for Remembrance Park.

On Saturday, June 20, Harris County Commissioner Rodney Ellis revealed the full plans for Remembrance Park, a three-block greenspace that will connect Buffalo Bayou to the Herbert W. Gee Municipal Courthouse at 1400 Lubbock St. The park will also include historical markers dedicated to four Black Houstonians who were lynched between 1890 and 1928 — Robert Powell, John White, Burl Smith, and John Walton.

The markers will be installed temporarily at Commissioner El Franco Lee Public Service Plaza until the completion of Remembrance Park, estimated for 2029. The projected is estimated to cost $42 million, though final funding numbers have not been released. Remembrance Park is funded through a combination of Harris County tax revenue and a grant from the Ford Foundation.

Walter Hood of HOOD Design Studios and Michael Murphy of AMMA presented renderings of the future park. It will be a combination of gardens, pavilions, and overlooks that can be used for multiple purposes. In the center of the park will be an innovative fountain. When filled with an inch of water, it will reflect the sky. When emptied, it will show a massive photograph of a baptism in Buffalo Bayou by a Black congregation from the early 20th Century.

The connection to the bayou is woven throughout the park. There are gardens based on Hush Harbors, which were used by Black residents as congregation spaces, as well as canopies made with reclaimed wood and moss from the bayou. The landscape itself will change depending on the rainfall, with features built with retaining ponds to create water installations.

Construction of the park will begin in 2027.

Dr. Ruth Simmons, a President's Distinguished Fellow at Rice University, former president of Prairie View A&M University, and the first African-American president of an Ivy League institution (Brown University) spoke about the importance of remembering history accurately despite attempts to sanitize the past.

"A community that endorses ignoring the history of fabricating that history invites corruption in other areas," she said. "In order to have a common project which we desperately need in this nation, a common project across difference, we must commit to walking in truth. Truth brings light to what darkness would destroy."

The mission statement of Remembrance Park is to "tell the story of the legacy of enslavement and systemic oppression faced by Black Americans in the United States." To accomplish that, the park will have art and education installations, a witness grove, and the lynching markers.

Following the presentation, Ellis and others led the crowd to Lee Plaza for the unveiling of the markers. The unveiling included Representative Al Green and was opened with a prayer from Bishop James Dixon of of Community Faith Church. The bishop thanked Ellis for advocating for the park.

"Today, Rodney Ellis, I see your face in the faces of the great liberators who stood up to injustice, stood up to evil, using creativity and brilliance, bringing people together," Bishop Dixon said.

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