Audrey Rose Walker, 17, has nothing but good things to say about the hundreds of visits she’s made over the years to the Kaiser Permanente Campbell Medical Offices.

Walker was born without eyes, a rare condition known as bilateral anophthalmia. She also had a complex, life-threatening heart condition called Tetralogy of Fallot, where the baby’s heart doesn’t develop normally during pregnancy.  

Her doctors feared she wouldn’t survive.

After several surgeries, doctors were able to repair Walker’s heart. However, she will remain blind for the rest of her life. According to the National Eye Institute, there’s no treatment for people born with bilateral anophthalmia. And there’s also little understanding of what causes it.

“I’ve never had a pediatric patient born without eyes,” said Carol-Lynn Barsky, MD, Walker’s longtime pediatrician. “I first saw Audrey when she was 2 months old. Over the years, her visits and growth have been amazing and fun to see.”

Walker was considered a “miracle baby” and in some ways she’s now a “miracle teenager.” She’s a straight-A high school student and an accomplished singer who is hoping she will land a spot on the popular “American Idol” singing show.

Every visit is special

Pediatric staff at the Campbell Medical Offices treat all patients with care and tenderness, but Walker gets a little extra.

“It’s wonderful here. I always look forward to coming here,” she said recently during a visit with Dr. Barsky.

Because of her medical conditions, staff members have gotten to know her, and they go out of their way to make her feel welcome and safe, said her father, Jim Walker.

When she visits, staff warmly greet and hug her as she checks in. They hold her hands when guiding her around the office, and they make sure she understands what is happening around her. They quickly answer her questions.

“I think it’s fun for all of us when she comes in because we are all just so happy to see her.,” Dr. Barsky said. “And we talk about what’s been going on with her.”

A rising star

Dr. Barsky and others recently learned Walker landed an audition for “American Idol” in early August. She hopes to hear soon if she will compete on the show. She said she wants to make other people happy with her singing.

“What better way to do that than to get on ‘American Idol’ where people all over the world will be able to hear me,” she said.  

Walker began speaking when she was nearly 1 years old. She started singing songs a short time later by imitating what she heard around her. Jim Walker would record his daughter and send Dr. Barsky and others on her care team the audio. She loves singing the national anthem and posts song performances to YouTube.

Dr. Barsky remembered the first time she heard Walker singing.  “I was like, ‘What? This coming from her? From Audrey?’ A huge voice, it was almost like an adult. Incredible!”

Her care team is cheering her on, and Walker will be sure to let them know what happens with her big audition.

She recognizes that she’s the rare person who looks forward to doctors’ appointments.

“But I always look forward to coming here because everyone is so nice and positive,” Walker said. “They’ve treated me wonderfully, both professionally and personally.”

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