A New Song for Ava-RileY

Young actress finds relief after three years of intense abdominal pain

Ava-Riley Miles’ life seemed pretty amazing in the spring of 2015. Just 10 years old, the Miami native was living with her mom in New York City and appearing in her second Broadway musical, “Doctor Zhivago.” Ava-Riley seemed poised for success.

But then, seemingly out of nowhere, she began to suffer debilitating abdominal pain and nausea that made it hard to get out of bed, much less perform in eight shows a week. When the show closed in May, it was almost a relief. Doctors in New York hadn’t been able to help her — maybe it would be different back home in Miami.

Instead, Ava-Riley faced three more years of suffering. She saw 10 different doctors, endured endless tests, and tried restrictive diets, but nothing helped.

“I was miserably sick to my stomach every day. I didn’t have the energy to participate in theater or dance or even spend time with friends,” said Ava-Riley, now 16. “Doctors told me, ‘You’re just going to have to live with this.’ I felt completely hopeless.”

Then in 2018, Ava-Riley’s mom, Susan Trujillo, heard about Miguel Saps, M.D., who had recently joined UHealth – the University of Miami Health System. Dr. Saps, a pediatric gastroenterologist, is one of the world’s top experts on treating patients with chronic abdominal pain. He and his colleagues at UHealth hold a twice-monthly clinic for children with severe abdominal pain. The multidisciplinary clinic offers a variety of treatments, such as medication, cognitive behavioral therapy, and hypnotherapy. But what patients appreciate most, Dr. Saps says, is the chance to talk. - Leigh Wilkins, for The University of Miami Medicine Magazine

Read the rest of the article, here: https://magazine.med.miami.edu/a-new-song-for-ava-riley

Article by Leigh Wilkins

Photography by Sonya Revell

Photo Assistance by Dragi Stankovic