ឌីអាណា វ៉ាតសុនវីល

“Diana loved sensory things, like music, bells, butterflies, and bubbles,” her mother, Susan, recalls fondly.  

Born in Wisconsin and later raised in California, Diana was diagnosed at an early age with autism and, soon after, a severe form of epilepsy known as Lennox-Gastaut Syndrome. Over time, she also faced additional diagnoses, including cerebral palsy and a rare genetic condition, SCN2A. Despite significant medical complexity and multiple major surgeries, Diana lived a life full of adventure, connection, and purpose.  

She loved movement and being on the go: the bumpy ride on the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk or being in her beach wheelchair or her adaptive three-wheeled bike. She loved watching things that moved: hummingbirds, butterflies, and the palm trees outside her bedroom. Diana especially loved the sights and sounds of the ocean. 

“She is still the only member of our family to surf,” says her father, Steve, admiring Diana’s fearless spirit and love for new experiences. “She was a farmer, watering plants at Common Roots Farm using an adaptive switch that she would activate with her head.”   

Though Diana was nonverbal, she communicated in powerful ways. 

“While she couldn’t talk, she was full of love and the best listener. Her smile lit up the room,” Susan says. 

From the age of 8 on, Diana spent significant time receiving care at Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital Stanford. All told, she spent the equivalent of two years of her life in our hospital, where her family found not only expert clinical care but also a “community of love and support.” Diana’s brother, David, who is also a patient at Packard Children’s, had the opportunity to visit Diana and build relationships with her care team, too.   

Susan remembers how much support nurses, respiratory therapists, the Complex Care team, and so many others provided her family. They kept a close eye on how Diana was doing, working to elicit one of her bright smiles—that’s how they knew they were on the right track.  

From compassionate care teams to small but meaningful gestures like coffee cart visits or gift shop kindness, the hospital became an extension of their family. The Palliative Care team, then led by Barbara Sourkes, PhD, and Harvey Cohen, MD, PhD, helped Diana’s family make the most of their time together, encouraging moments of joy and life beyond the hospital walls.  

Diana passed away peacefully in March 2025 at the age of 22, in the arms of her parents and with the compassionate guidance of the Packard Children’s hospice team. Her life continues to inspire all who knew her, with her strength, sweetness, and radiant smile.  

Her legacy lives on through her family, medical team, and programs that support families, showing that care extends beyond our patients’ time with us. Diana, Steve, Susan, and David were nominated by our Family Guidance and Bereavement Program as their 2026 Summer Scamper Patient Hero family.  

This cutting-edge program offers crucial counseling, support groups, linkage to vital resources, and ongoing assistance to families mourning the loss of a child or a baby. The Family Guidance and Bereavement Program, like so many that surround patients and families with care, dignity, and humanity, is made possible through philanthropy. Summer Scamper is a seminal event for the program as a major source of fundraising and an opportunity for families served by the team to gather, remember, and honor the beautiful lives lived. 

We invite you to join us at Summer Scamper on June 21 to honor Diana, celebrate our Patient Heroes, and support programs like Family Guidance and Bereavement. Together, we can ensure that families receive not only world-class medical care, but also the compassion and support they need, today and every day.