The Cornell Effect

This is the true story of Cornell Richardson, who was born three and a half months early, at one-pound, nine-ounces. The severity of his issues gave him little chance for survival, let alone for a normal life.

He spent the first six months of his life in the NICU and was then moved to a ventilator-dependent unit at The Children's Hospital of the King's Daughters. On that unit, a young Occupational Therapist named Kim Cranham began to care for him. She saw things in Cornell that many of the doctors didn’t. Against their recommendations, she persuaded her husband to bring Cornell home as their foster child. On February 2, 1994, after two months of training to care for his advanced needs, they brought him home.  

This is an up-from-the-ashes story of incredible courage, persistence, and inspiration. It is a story of how a young couple started a journey to help a sick little boy, and in the process, he dramatically changed the trajectory of their lives. While written as a chronological memoir over 25 years, it is filled with the principles they learned from Cornell that have led to a more happy, peaceful, and content life.