
Sebastian, a patient at Shriners Children's Hospital in Southern California, is a 14-year-old boy who has been diagnosed with osteogenesis imperfecta, a genetic disorder that causes brittle bones. Despite his young age, Sebastian has endured countless surgeries and broken bones, and has adopted a positive and inspiring attitude, striving to help other kids facing similar challenges. He founded Born 4 Fast, a charity event that brings together local car communities to organize toy drives and raise money for the hospital. With his magnetic personality and unwavering spirit, Sebastian has inspired thousands to contribute to his cause and bring joy to patients at Shriners Children's Hospital.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Name | Sebastian Perez |
| Age | 12 years old or 14 years old |
| Hospital | Shriners Children's Southern California |
| Diagnosis | Osteogenesis imperfecta |
| Number of broken bones | More than 100 |
| Surgeries | Countless |
| Instagram followers | 13,600 |
| Charity founded | Born 4 Fast |
| Amount raised for Shriners Children's | $26,000 |
| Amount of Baskin-Robbins Joy in Childhood Foundation's Pint-Sized Heroes grant | $31,000 |
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What You'll Learn

Sebastian's age: 14 years old
Sebastian, a patient at Shriners Children's Southern California, is 14 years old. He was diagnosed with osteogenesis imperfecta, a genetic disorder that causes soft and brittle bones, when he was an infant. Despite his young age, Sebastian has endured countless surgeries and broken bones throughout his life. However, he has maintained a positive and inspiring attitude, striving to help other kids facing similar challenges.
Sebastian's journey with Shriners Hospital began when he was just six months old. He has been a frequent patient at Shriners Hospitals in California and Utah, visiting the Salt Lake City Shriners Hospital twice a year for check-ups. Sebastian's condition requires regular medical attention, and the expertise of the Utah physicians ensures that he is growing and developing as he should.
At the age of nine, Sebastian founded "Born 4 Fast," a charity event that brings together local car communities to host toy drives for patients at Shriners Children's. Through social media networking, he has organized car rallies and participated in fun drives through Southern California. Sebastian's efforts have raised significant funds for the hospital, with one rally in Los Angeles alone bringing in over $7,000.
Sebastian's magnetic personality and selfless dedication to helping others have inspired thousands of people to contribute to his cause. His positive outlook on life, even in the face of physical challenges, serves as a source of strength for those around him. Despite not being able to play sports like his friends, Sebastian focuses on finding joy in other activities and spreading happiness to those around him.
Sebastian's impact extends beyond his charity work. On National Superhero Day 2023, he was honoured by the Baskin-Robbins Joy in Childhood Foundation, which granted $31,000 to Shriners Children's Southern California. Sebastian will play a role in deciding how the grant will be used to bring joy to patients. In recognition of his unwavering positivity and passion for his community, Baskin-Robbins also treated him to a year of free ice cream.
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Diagnosed with osteogenesis imperfecta as an infant
Osteogenesis imperfecta (OI), also known as brittle bone disease, is a genetic disorder characterised by fragile bones that break easily without any specific cause. The condition occurs in an estimated one out of 12,000 to 15,000 babies and affects boys and girls of all races and ethnicities equally.
OI is usually diagnosed in infancy or early childhood. Doctors can often diagnose OI by conducting a physical exam, taking a medical history, and looking for a family history of fragile bones. They may also order X-rays, bone densitometry tests, blood tests, and other tests to examine the patient's bones. Genetic testing can help determine how the genetic change occurred and the likelihood of other family members having OI.
In the case of Sebastian from Shriners Hospital, he was diagnosed with OI as an infant. Despite enduring countless surgeries and broken bones throughout his life, the 14-year-old has maintained a positive and inspiring attitude. He has founded charity events, such as "Born 4 Fast," to give back and raise money for other patients at Shriners Children's Hospital.
The treatment for OI focuses on healing fractures and preventing future breaks by increasing bone strength and maximising the patient's function. There is currently no cure, medicine, or surgery that can cure OI, but various treatments aim to manage the condition. These include rodding, a minimally invasive procedure to insert metal rods to stabilise bones and prevent deformity, as well as the use of assistive devices such as wheelchairs and braces.
The severity of OI can vary, and patients with OI may exhibit a range of symptoms, including scoliosis, breathing problems, brittle teeth, hearing difficulties, and muscle tone issues. OI can also impact a child's stature, skin, blood vessels, and teeth. To provide comprehensive care for children with OI, a care team may include orthopedic, genetic, and endocrinology specialists, as well as dentists, audiologists, physical and occupational therapists, and pulmonologists.
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Has endured countless surgeries and broken bones
Shriners Hospitals for Children is a network of non-profit children's hospitals and other paediatric medical facilities spread across North America. They provide specialised care for children with orthopaedic conditions, burns, spinal cord injuries, cleft lip and palate, and other specialty care and rehab. The hospitals are headquartered in Tampa, Florida, and owned by Shriners International, a Freemasonry-related organisation. Care is provided to children until the age of 18, or 21 in some cases.
Sebastian, a 14-year-old patient at Shriners Children's Southern California, has osteogenesis imperfecta, a condition that has caused him countless broken bones and required him to undergo numerous surgeries throughout his life. Despite these challenges, Sebastian has maintained a positive and inspiring attitude. He has founded "Born 4 Fast," a charity event that brings together local car communities to organise toy drives for young patients at Shriners Children's Southern California. Through social media networking, he has also organised car rallies and fun drives through Southern California, raising $26,000 for the hospital.
Sebastian's resilience and dedication to helping others have not gone unnoticed. On National Superhero Day 2023, he was honoured by the Baskin-Robbins Joy in Childhood Foundation, which granted $31,000 to Shriners Children's Southern California. Sebastian will help decide how the grant will be used to bring joy to fellow patients. The foundation also awarded him a year of free ice cream to celebrate his sweet moments.
Sebastian's story is a testament to the impact that Shriners Hospitals for Children can have on young patients' lives. The hospitals' commitment to providing compassionate and innovative care improves the quality of life for children like Sebastian, empowering them to pay it forward and make a positive difference in their communities.
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Founded Born 4 Fast charity event at age 9
Sebastian, a patient at Shriners Children's Hospital in Southern California, founded the "Born 4 Fast" charity event at age nine. Sebastian has been a frequent patient at Shriners Hospitals since he was six months old and was diagnosed with osteogenesis imperfecta, a genetic disorder that causes soft, brittle bones. He has endured countless surgeries and broken more than 100 bones in his short life. Despite his physical challenges, Sebastian has adopted a positive and inspiring attitude, striving to help other kids who may be facing similar challenges.
Sebastian's desire to encourage other children to stay strong and maintain a positive outlook led him to create "Born 4 Fast." The charity event brings together local car communities to host toy drives and raise funds for Shriners Children's Hospital. Through social media networking, Sebastian has organized car rallies and invited car enthusiast friends to join him on fun drives through Southern California. He has also collaborated with car groups in Utah and California, with hopes to expand to other states.
One of the earliest and most successful events was a rally in Los Angeles, which raised over $7,000 for the Shriners Hospital in that city. Since the inception of "Born 4 Fast," Sebastian has personally helped raise $26,000 for Shriners Children's Hospital. The funds raised through the charity have supported the Baskin-Robbins Joy in Childhood Foundation's Pint-Sized Heroes program, which recognizes and celebrates pediatric patients in children's hospitals across the nation.
Sebastian's outstanding efforts and compassionate spirit were recognized by the Baskin-Robbins Joy in Childhood Foundation on National Superhero Day in 2023. He was honoured as a Pint-Sized Hero, and the foundation granted $31,000 to Shriners Children's Southern California to support child life programming. Sebastian will help decide how the grant will be used to bring joy to patients. His unwavering positivity and dedication to improving the lives of other children facing medical challenges have inspired thousands of people to contribute to his cause.
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Honoured with a grant from Baskin-Robbins
On National Superhero Day 2023, 14-year-old Sebastian, a patient at Shriners Children's Southern California, was honoured by the Baskin-Robbins Joy in Childhood Foundation. Sebastian was named a "Pint-Sized Hero", recognised for his positive attitude and community spirit. The young resident of Oak Hills, California, was diagnosed with osteogenesis imperfecta as an infant and has endured countless surgeries and broken bones throughout his life. Despite these challenges, Sebastian has dedicated himself to helping others and raising funds for children facing similar difficulties.
Sebastian's efforts to give back to his community are admirable. With the support of his family, he has organised multiple toy drives to benefit patients at Shriners Children's. Additionally, he founded "Born 4 Fast", a unique charity event that brings together local car communities for a good cause. Through his passion for cars and social media presence, Sebastian has successfully organised car rallies and fun drives through Southern California, raising significant funds for the hospital.
The Baskin-Robbins Joy in Childhood Foundation was proud to grant $31,000 in Sebastian's name to Shriners Children's Southern California. This grant will be used for child life programming, with Sebastian playing a role in deciding how the funds will bring joy to patients. The foundation's mission is to provide the simple joys of childhood to children battling illness or hunger. By honouring Sebastian as a Pint-Sized Hero and granting this award, they recognise his incredible impact on other patients and his unwavering dedication to helping others.
Sebastian's positive attitude and determination to pay it forward have inspired those around him. Natalie Chicas, a child life specialist at Shriners Children's, expressed gratitude for Sebastian's support, stating that his passion has made a significant impact on their patients. Sebastian's story serves as a reminder that anyone can be a hero, regardless of the challenges they face. His selflessness and dedication to helping others will undoubtedly continue to bring smiles and joy to those around him.
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Frequently asked questions
Sebastian is 14 years old. He was diagnosed with osteogenesis imperfecta when he was an infant and has been a frequent patient at Shriners Hospitals since he was six months old.
Sebastian has endured countless surgeries and broken bones in his short life. Despite his own challenges, he has adopted a positive and inspiring attitude and strives to help other kids facing similar difficulties. He founded "Born 4 Fast", at the age of 9, a charity event that brings together local car communities to host toy drives and raise money for Shriners Children's patients.
Sebastian was honoured by the Baskin-Robbins Joy in Childhood Foundation on National Superhero Day 2023. He was named their newest Pint-Sized Hero, and the foundation granted $31,000 to Shriners Children's Southern California to support child life programming.
Sebastian has a rare genetic disorder called osteogenesis imperfecta, which causes soft and brittle bones. He has broken more than 100 bones in his life and visits the hospital twice a year to ensure he is growing as expected.











































