Melissa is a devoted parent to her daughter, Eden, who was born on April 27th, 2016. Eden was diagnosed with achondroplasia dwarfism on October 5th, 2016, which came as a shock to Melissa. Initially, she had no concerns about Eden's health, but during her second pediatric appointment, the doctor noticed that Eden was falling off the height and weight chart for her peer group and had a slightly larger head circumference than usual. The doctor suggested that it might be achondroplasia and referred Melissa to a geneticist to rule it out.

After confirming the diagnosis, Melissa realized that she had wasted a lot of time being worried because of what she was told. She advises other caretakers to remember that each child is unique, and what may apply to one child may not apply to another. Melissa believes that research is crucial to improving the quality of life for children with achondroplasia, and she is grateful for the research that has been done so far. She hopes that future research will enable Eden to have more independence in life and benefit other children with achondroplasia.

Melissa joined PicnicHealth to have all of Eden's health records in one place, which is critical for doctors to have the correct information they need to treat her. Melissa believes that being able to access Eden's health records from various hospitals and doctors will help ensure that Eden receives the best care possible.