Piper Hegland named 2026 North Dakota CMN Champion
Jan. 13, 2026
Contact:
Nathan Aamodt
Sanford Health Media Relations
(701) 200-6080/nathan.aamodt@sanfordhealth.org
FARGO, N.D. – 8-year-old Piper Hegland has been named the 2026 North Dakota Children’s Miracle Network Champion for Sanford Children’s Hospital.
Piper, an Oberon, N.D. native, is the daughter of Jake and Amanda Hegland. Since birth, Piper has received specialized care at Sanford Children’s Hospital. At 37 weeks, a routine ultrasound revealed that Piper had myelomeningocele, the most severe form of spina bifida. She was born with related complications, including bilateral club feet, where both feet are pointed in and down, hydrocephalus, which is a buildup of fluid in the brain and Chiari II malformation, a structural defect in which the lower part of the brain extends into the spinal canal.
“It’s an honor to walk alongside Piper and her family as they share their story this year. Piper’s journey is a powerful reminder that philanthropy is not just about giving – it’s about ensuring children and families across our region have access to the specialized care, hope and support they need at Sanford Children’s Hospital,” said Hillery Mork, Sanford Health Foundation lead development officer.
Each year, Sanford Children’s Hospital in Fargo, a member hospital of Children’s Miracle Network, selects a child with a remarkable medical journey to serve as an ambassador, helping share the importance of supporting local children’s hospitals.
To learn more about Piper’s story, visit https://www.sanfordhealthfoundation.org/piper-the-2026-cmn-champion-fargo/.
About Sanford Health
Sanford Health, the largest rural health system in the United States, is dedicated to transforming the health care experience and providing access to world-class health care in America’s heartland. Headquartered in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, the organization has 55,000 employees and serves over 2 million patients and nearly 425,000 health plan members across the upper Midwest including South Dakota, North Dakota, Minnesota, Wyoming, Iowa, Wisconsin and the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. The integrated nonprofit health system includes a network of 57 hospitals, 288 clinic locations, 147 senior care communities, 4,000 physicians and advanced practice providers and nearly 1,500 active clinical trials and studies. The organization’s transformational virtual care initiative brings patients closer to care with access to 78 specialties. Learn more about Sanford Health’s commitment to shaping the future of rural health care across the lifespan at sanfordhealth.org or Sanford Health News.
