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Cheyenne Woods experienced a nightmare the moment she realized her newborn baby, Maya Woods, wasn’t breathing properly. A standard procedure was followed, but in the following days, the issue seemed to worsen, with the baby girl’s breathing sounding like a “whistle.” Unfortunately, doctors diagnosed Woods’s daughter with laryngomalacia, a common condition that occurs at birth. Overwhelmed with emotions as a mother, she sought out other mothers facing a similar challenge and connected with former LPGA star Jane Park.
Like Cheyenne Woods, Jane Park faced a frightening situation with her newborn daughter, Grace, although the health issues were different. Jane’s nightmare began four years ago when she discovered that her once-healthy 10-month-old baby was suffering from a series of seizures and brain swelling. Subsequently, after a standard procedure, Park and her husband, Pete Godfrey, learned that doctors had diagnosed their baby with intractable epilepsy, a condition that often leaves her struggling with seizures.
Tragic as their situations were, the two mothers came together to confront the stress, fear, and confusion that accompanied these circumstances. In a recent interview, Tiger Woods’s niece, Cheyenne Woods, shared how Park came to her rescue. However, perhaps the one line that resonated the most was a reminder from one mother to another: “You’re a good parent, and you’re doing everything you can.”
Talking about Park’s support and the reminder itself, Woods said, “That’s a good reminder, because so many things get to a point that’s out of your control. There’s only so much you can do, and as a parent, you worry that you’re not doing enough, or that you’re supposed to be strong when it is OK to be scared, and it is OK to cry about it, because it is scary when it comes to your child.
“But having that reminder from her, that what I was feeling was normal and acknowledging what I’m going through is hard, so many times, you know, you just try to push through it and get through it and stay optimistic, but you have to acknowledge that this is hard; this isn’t normal to go through.”
The struggles for Woods were long. She and her husband, Aaron Hicks, learned to use a nasogastric tube (NG tube) for their daughter Maya after her health issues arose. After spending several nights in the hospital, they had supplies delivered to their home and watched YouTube videos to manage the situation. Thankfully, they later switched to a gastrostomy tube (G-tube) when Maya was 10 months old, which goes directly into her stomach. Now 18 months old, Maya can eat orally and mainly uses the G-tube for hydration.
However, Cheyenne Woods is not one to forget to send love to those who stood by her. In March, Woods expressed her gratitude to Dominique Grossman, a pediatric occupational therapist at Newborn Flow LLC in Arizona, for helping her through tough times by saying, “Dominique has helped us SO much through our journey with Maya.” However, given the many ups and downs of the situation, Cheyenne Woods decided to take a break from golf, just like Park had done years earlier.
Park’s 15-year career on the LPGA ended shortly after she learned about her baby’s condition. Consequently, she became a full-time caregiver and advocate for her daughter, Grace, while also receiving the same support from LPGA stars that she had shown to Cheyenne Woods.
LPGA stars stand by Jane Park to show support in her mission to raise awareness about epilepsy
At 38 years old, Jane Park has not participated in an LPGA Tour event since 2023 and has shifted her focus to creating golf-themed art. After teaming up with Paula Creamer at the Dow Great Lakes Bay Invitational, Park has concentrated on her art, highlighting memorable moments in Masters history. Her recent works include depictions of Tiger Woods celebrating his famous chip-in at the 2005 Masters, Hideki Matsuyama’s caddie bowing after Matsuyama’s 2021 victory, and Jack Nicklaus’s iconic “yes sir!” putt from the 1986 Masters.
In April, she unveiled a limited-edition series of paintings inspired by these moments on Instagram. Park’s art fundraiser for the Epilepsy Foundation received strong support from fellow LPGA stars like Nelly Korda, Lydia Ko, and Meghan Khang, showcasing the camaraderie within the golfing community. A portion of the proceeds went to the Epilepsy Foundation. Khang, overwhelmed with emotions, shared, “I’ve always known that @thejanepark was talented but goodness…”
Undoubtedly, the battle will be long and harsh, but our LPGA stars will always support each other during these moments.
The post Amid Daughter’s Illness Struggles, Tiger Woods’s Niece Thanks Retired LPGA Pro for Emotional Reminder appeared first on EssentiallySports.
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