It was a very Merry Cowboys Christmas this morning! The Dallas Cowboys stopped by for their annual visit with Cook Children's patients on Dec. 8, 2025. 

Football players and cheerleaders surprised patients in multiple departments at the Fort Worth Medical Center to spread some holiday cheer. Everyone was so excited to greet the team!

Each child receives a stocking loaded with goodies from the Dallas Cowboys and a special toy provided by the UnitedHealthcare Children’s Foundation.

Under the guidance of Mrs. Gene Jones, the entire Cowboys team has conducted annual holiday visits to local children’s hospitals for the past 36 years – a very special tradition that we are all grateful to experience.

Media partners may use this content for news stories and broadcasts with credit to Cook Children's.

Football players and cheerleaders surprised patients in multiple departments at the Fort Worth Medical Center to spread some holiday cheer. Everyone was so excited to greet the team, especially after their Thanksgiving Day win against the New York Giants!

Each child receives a stocking loaded with goodies from the Dallas Cowboys and a special toy provided by the UnitedHealthcare Children’s Foundation.

Under the guidance of Mrs. Gene Jones, the entire Cowboys team has conducted annual holiday visits to local children’s hospitals for the past 35 years – a very special tradition that we are all grateful to experience.

Media partners may use this content for news stories and broadcasts with credit to Cook Children's.

Football players and cheerleaders surprised patients in multiple departments at the Fort Worth Medical Center to spread some holiday cheer. Everyone was so excited to greet the team, especially after Thursday's win against the Seattle Seahawks!

Each child receives a stocking loaded with goodies from the Dallas Cowboys and a special toy provided by the UnitedHealthcare Children’s Foundation.

Under the guidance of Mrs. Gene Jones, the entire Cowboys team has conducted annual holiday visits to local children’s hospitals for the past 34 years – a very special tradition that we are all grateful to experience.

Media partners may use this content for news stories and broadcasts with credit to Cook Children's.

Football players and cheerleaders surprised patients in multiple departments at the Medical Center to spread some holiday cheer. There were extra smiles from that win over the Houston Texans!

Each child receives a stocking loaded with goodies from the Dallas Cowboys and a special toy provided by the UnitedHealthcare Children’s Foundation.

Under the guidance of Mrs. Gene Jones, the entire Cowboys team has conducted annual holiday visits to local children’s hospitals for the past 33 years – with the last two years being held virtually due to the pandemic.

Media partners may use this content for news stories and broadcasts with credit to Cook Children's.

Dallas Cowboys' quarterback Dak Prescott plays live in front of thousands every Sunday and millions of more people watch him from home, but during a recent visit to Cook Children's the quarterback showed how impressive he can be when he's just one-on-one with a patient. 

Prescott joined teammates during the Cowboys' annual holiday trip to Cook Children's Medical Center on Monday, Dec. 9, 2019. After greeting patients and their families in the Atrium, Prescott visited individual patients who couldn't leave their room. 

It was during one of those visits that Dak met Joey, 13 years old. Dak's visit inspired Joey to write a paper for school about meeting the Cowboys' quarterback. 

"We are in the Stem Cell Transplant unit which means we are isolated from the rest of the hospital. We don't get to participate in the activities that are going on in this amazing place which is why this visit meant so very much to Joey," Denise wrote. "The fact that Dak took the time to come up and even get dressed so he could come into Joey's room speaks volumes for the character of this man."

Joey title his paper, "Best Day Here at [Cook Children's] Hospital." He wrote about meeting Prescott and Cook Children's holiday tradition, Christmas Extravaganza, which includes fireworks and a visit from Santa outside of the medical center. Joey's paper read:

"I actually had the best two days. The first one being a winter wonderland and the second being I got to meet Dak Prescott. The whole time I've been here has been such an amazing time, with wholesome nurses and a great will. My strength (is) so great thanks to the people around me, and my fighting will keeping me going in top shape. 

I have been doing an amazing job keeping active and eating well, defying all the odds. The winter wonderland was beautiful. Fireworks right outside our window and the lighting of a huge tree. I got to see both shows with my parnets and I really enjoyed the night. Now I really was surprized to see Dak Prescott and I got a small hint when my mom asked what team Dak was on and a couple of other people. 

I was incredibly shocked and in awe. He actually was the one person I actually thought about meeting. So it was incredible to meet him and hang out for a bit with him."

And while Joey was left star struck by his favorite Cowboys player, Denise also has her own heroes. 

"The staff here at [Cook Children's] are truly God's workers, especially the ones on our unit," she wrote. "They treat us like family and make us feel so welcome, safe and at home. They are so incredibly kind and caring to Joey and keep his spirits up during this incredibly difficult time. They encourage and motivate him every day to be active and cheer him on every step of the way. Joey tells me every day how wonderful and thankful he is to his nurses. He looks forward to his therapy team as well. PT & OT make it feel like game time instead of therapy time. Everyone here is just outstanding! I can honestly say we couldn't do this without them! We feel so blessed to have [Cook Children's] so close to our home.”

You may be even more surprised to learn that while GBS is rare (incidence is about 2 per 100,000 cases), Cook Children's neurologists see between 6 to 10 cases per year. 

To learn more about GBS, we spoke to Stephanie Acord, M.D., a neurologist at Jane and John Justin Neurosciences Center. 

1. What is GBS?

It is an auto-immune process in which your immune system starts attacking the myelin which is the protective coating that surrounds your nerves. As a result, the information needing to get down the nerve to communicate with other parts of the body is slowed or unable to occur.

2. What are the causes?

Most common cause is almost always post-infectious, either viral or bacterial. Most common bacterial cause is Campylobacter jejuni which causes a gastrointestinal illness. It is not an infection itself and is not contagious. Symptoms usually start within a few weeks of the illness. Occasionally, it can be associated with vaccinations or post surgically.

3. What are the symptoms?

Symptom onset is usually relatively rapid and can include: progressive, ascending weakness (starts in feet and maybe hands and spreads gradually up the legs, arms and trunk), abnormal sensations such as pain, tingling, numbness and pins and needles, and autonomic instability (abnormal heart rate, blood pressure, temperature stability, breathing rate)

In more severe cases, difficulty breathing, facial weakness, trouble swallowing, and bowel/bladder dysfunction.

Peak of symptoms is usually within 2-3 weeks after onset.

4. What is the treatment?

IVIG is the treatment of choice and in more severe cases may require plasmapheresis. The sooner treatment is initiated the better the outcome. We prefer for treatment to start within 7-10 days of onset of symptoms.

Definition of IVIG: Immunoglobulins are special proteins in the blood. They fight infections. Some white blood cells make them. They are also known as antibodies. They are part of the immune system. With immunoglobulin therapy (IVIg), these proteins are donated from a healthy person. They are then given to you through an IV.

5. Is there an age range when you are more susceptible to it?

Peak age for onset of GBS is 38-40 years of age, but any age may be affected.

6. Does it impact children differently than adults?

The type of symptoms and response to treat is usually similar in children and adults

7. When should you see a doctor?

Any quick onset of abnormal sensations and/or weakness that is worsening needs to be evaluated. If the weakness is progressing quickly, may need to be evaluated in emergency department. Many times, people have difficulty with ambulating.

8. Are there different types of GBS?

There are axonal variants such as AMAN (acute motor axonal neuropathy) and AMSAN (acute motor and sensory axonal neuropathy) in which the immune system is attacking the membrane of the nerve itself not the protective coating. With AMAN, you do not usually have sensory disturbances associated with the disease. AMSAN can look very similar to GBS and there has been some debate in the past if they are the same or different diseases. AMSAN usually has a more rapid progression of symptoms over days and can take longer to recover.

Miller Fisher syndrome is onset of weakness that usually starts in the face and includes difficulty with moving the eye muscles leading to droopy eyelids and double vision, ataxia which is unsteadiness and incoordination, and decrease in your reflexes. Weakness can spread to rest of body in a more of a descending pattern. This should not be confused with botulism which is also a descending weakness but usually also affects the pupils.

There is also tick paralysis which can look like GBS so need to also look for tics on the body if have similar symptoms.

9. How rare is it to get it later in like like Travis Frederick?

It is common to get it in the adult age. Peak age for onset of GBS is 38-40 years of age.

10. Once you’ve had it, can it recur? Is it something that lasts forever?

There is a chronic form of GBS called CIDP or chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyradiculoneuropathy in which progression of symptoms continues at least 8 weeks and can be more difficult to treat. Most of the time, GBS is an illness you only develop once. If symptoms recur, then again, it may be that you have the chronic form that will need long term immunosuppressive or immunomodulating medications.

Most people have full or near full recovery of symptoms but this can take months or for more severe cases even years.