DALLAS, April 22, 2026 — This spring, Children’s Health patient ambassador Adalynn was selected for the fourth consecutive year of the Children’s Health and SMU Athletics patient-designed helmet initiative, continuing a tradition that highlights courage, creativity and community. During SMU’s “Friday at Ford” on April 17, the team debuted a one-of-a-kind helmet designed by Adalynn, whose story reflects resilience and determination.
The patient-designed helmet initiative is part of the partnership between Children’s Health and SMU Athletics, where the health care system serves as the Official Pediatric Health Care Partner. The program highlights the experiences of the more than 370,000 patients Children’s Health cares for each year.
Children’s Health patients were invited to submit helmet designs, offering a meaningful way to share their creativity and experiences. Adalynn’s artwork was selected following a vote by SMU Football student-athletes.
Adalynn is an accomplished student, athlete and baker who has faced lifelong gastrointestinal challenges. She has experienced chronic abdominal pain and digestive complications since infancy and ultimately received specialized care through Children’s Health.
“Most people when they think of somebody that’s sick or not able to do something, they don’t think of somebody that looks like me,” Adalynn said.
After extensive testing, Adalynn was diagnosed with colonic dysmotility and gastroparesis, a condition that affects stomach motility. Through advanced testing and ongoing treatment from her care team, she has been able to better manage her condition while continuing to pursue the activities she enjoys.
Outside of her medical journey, Adalynn remains highly active, participating in volleyball, tennis, golf and softball, where she is a varsity catcher. She is also an award-winning baker, earning multiple Best in Show honors at the Fannin County Fair for her signature carrot pecan cake.
Her helmet design reflected movement, perseverance and strength – values that mirror both her personal journey and the SMU Football program – offering a message of hope for other children facing similar challenges.
“I’m really thankful for all of the opportunities that Children’s Health has given me,” said Adalynn. “I’m glad that I can share my story and maybe help some kids that are struggling with theirs.”
Adalynn’s mother says, “These experiences that we have been able to do through Children’s Health have expanded her personality and her love of art and allowed her to do all these cool things that we would never get to do in our teeny, tiny small town.”
This initiative continues to serve as a cornerstone of the Children’s Health and SMU Athletics partnership, creating meaningful opportunities to engage patients, families and fans across North Texas while highlighting the resilience of children facing complex medical conditions. Children’s Health is the Official Pediatric Health Care Partner of SMU Athletics, supporting student-athletes and families across North Texas. Mustang Partners, SMU Athletics’ integrated revenue and brand division, manages the Children’s Health sponsorship in collaboration with Learfield, SMU Athletics’ multimedia rights partner. Mustang Partners oversees sponsorships, branding and fan engagement initiatives that support SMU Athletics and its student-athletes.
About Children’s Health
Children’s Health is the leading pediatric health care system in North Texas and has long been recognized as a leader in pediatric health. Its campuses include Children’s Medical Center Dallas, Children’s Medical Center Plano and multiple Children’s Health Specialty Centers, caring for more than 370,000 patients each year.
In partnership with UT Southwestern Medical Center, it is consistently recognized among the nation’s best pediatric hospitals by U.S. News & World Report. This commitment to excellence and outstanding care has resulted in recognition across all pediatric specialties for eight consecutive years, including Cancer, Cardiology & Heart Surgery, Behavioral Health, Diabetes & Endocrinology, Gastroenterology & GI Surgery, Neonatology, Nephrology, Neurology & Neurosurgery, Orthopedics, Pulmonology, and Urology.
Since 2009, Children’s Health has maintained Magnet® designation – the highest honor for nursing excellence – and continues to earn employer-of-choice recognition locally, nationally, and globally. These honors include the Great Place to Work® Certification™, the Gallup Exceptional Workplace Award and Top Workplaces recognition from USA TODAY and The Dallas Morning News. Children’s Health has also been named one of the 150 Best Places to Work in Healthcare by Becker’s Hospital Review for 14 consecutive years.
About SMU Athletics
It’s a new era of Athletics at SMU. In the classroom and on the field, SMU is driving excellence and growth to be among the best athletics programs in the country. We are bringing the highest level of collegiate competition to Dallas, which was recently named the No. 1 city for sports business by the Sports Business Journal, and building on our recent success, with all 17 programs reaching the postseason and 16 programs winning conference championships since 2013. SMU is the only NCAA FBS program in Dallas, and has claimed 10 overall national championships, over 200 team conference championships, over 100 individual national championships, more than 150 NCAA top-10 finishes, nearly 2,000 All-American honors and over 150 Olympic appearances. Since 2013, SMU has invested over $250 million to develop and enhance championship-caliber facilities. SMU is a member of the Atlantic Coast Conference.