The Inn Helps Spunky Four-Year-Old Makenna Feel At Home While Receiving Treatment at the NIH

Four-year-old Makenna Harrod, of Louisville, Kentucky, has a bright and bubbly personality that lights up any room. Her father, Larry “DJ” Harrod, describes her as “spunky” with a big imagination. With such a positive outlook on life, you would never imagine that seemingly always cheerful Makenna suffers from an extremely rare inflammatory disorder called Blau Syndrome, which affects her skin, joints and eyes. Discovered when she was just two months old, Makenna has been seeking treatment at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) most of her life.

When receiving treatment at the NIH, Makenna and her family stay at The Children’s Inn.  Makenna’s first visit was in 2011 with her mother, Mary, DJ, and seven-year-old brother, Ian. “At first, we didn’t know what to expect and we were pretty nervous,” DJ says. But, after getting acquainted with The Inn’s facility and programs, “…we got comfortable and felt at home,” he says.

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