DENVER — Carter Hampton has never lived a normal life.
The 11-year-old has Caudal Regression Syndrome. The rare disease means his spine never fully developed in utero and the development of the lower half of his body is impaired.
"The bad days tend to come with all the worry," Carter's mom explained. "We're always questioning if we're going to go back to the hospital."
The Rocky Mountain Hospital for Childrenat Presbyterian/Saint Luke's Hospital in Denver is celebrating ten years of operation. Carter has been a regular patient from the day the hospital opened to now.
Carter has impacted just about everybody in the building over the course of his life. He has plenty of challenges he has to overcome all the time, but his positivity still shines through.
"When I'm not feeling good, I can still put on a smile," he said. "I can be sad, but I can still smile."