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Zoe’s Story
Only a year ago, Zoe Kirk was no different than any other 8 year old girl. She loved playing dress up, going to school at Mallory Elementary in Buffalo, Missouri, playing with her friends, and reading any books she could get her hands on. Life was good. She was a happy, healthy 48 pound girl with lots of smarts and plenty of sass.
One day, Zoe started complaining of belly pain, nausea, vomiting and diarrhea, until it was so severe that she spent 4 days in the hospital. Doctors couldn’t seem to find out exactly what was going on. That is when the living nightmare began.
While being treated at Citizens Memorial Hospital in Bolivar, Missouri, Zoe began to develop a widespread and very painful rash across her entire body. She was then sent on to Women and Children’s Hospital in Columbia, Missouri where she spent 10 painful days, before she was diagnosed with Henoch-Schonlein Purpura (HSP) a vascular disease that attacks the blood vessels in the body near the skin and causes them to bleed inside the body.
Zoe’s family needs your help catching up with Zoe's medical needs, while she prepares for her battle against HSP and it's symptoms along the long path to recovery. While HSP is a rare disease which is most commonly found to infect 2 to 6 year old children, Zoe’s case is classified as serve and long term. The HSP rash has caused deep ulcerations on both knees and blood blisters across most of her body that caused extreme pain to the touch; even air causes her extreme pain. Her skin constantly feels as if it’s on fire.
Treating HSP has been difficult process for Zoe and her family. The steroids she has been prescribed to fight this disease has caused her to double in weight in less than a year, deterioration of her kidneys, and extremely high blood pressure. She also has developed Osteopenia, the precursor to Osteoporosis, which is a weakening of bone density in the body, most commonly found in older adults. This has caused her spinal column from vertebrates T-12 to L-4 to be severely compressed and damaged. Zoe spends the majority of her day in a back brace, and is fully dependent on her mother and family, from getting out of bed, using the bathroom, bathing, and even bending over to tie her shoes.
Besides fighting the HSP, Zoe’s kidney function and blood pressure problems will be an uphill struggle for the next 4 to 5 years. She will continue to have monthly kidney specialist appointments, dermatologist appointments every 6 weeks, and many visits with a pediatric orthopedics specialist to address her Osteopenia. All of these doctors are in Columbia, Missouri, and will cause her family considerable hardship to continue treatment. Doctors have informed her mother that her treatments to cure her disease will most likely result in Zoe not being able to have children as an adult.
Zoe, however, continues to be the most brave and courageous member of her family. No matter how much pain she endures, she is the rock that continues to be strong for Mom and her brother and sister. Zoe’s older sister Brenna suffers from Asperger’s Syndrome, a subtype of autism, which has also been a challenge to the Kirk family.
We thank you so very much from the bottom of our hearts for your participation and generosity and hope that Zoe’s Hope might shine a light on this awful disease and brighten all who hear her remarkable story of courage and triumph.
Only a year ago, Zoe Kirk was no different than any other 8 year old girl. She loved playing dress up, going to school at Mallory Elementary in Buffalo, Missouri, playing with her friends, and reading any books she could get her hands on. Life was good. She was a happy, healthy 48 pound girl with lots of smarts and plenty of sass.
One day, Zoe started complaining of belly pain, nausea, vomiting and diarrhea, until it was so severe that she spent 4 days in the hospital. Doctors couldn’t seem to find out exactly what was going on. That is when the living nightmare began.
While being treated at Citizens Memorial Hospital in Bolivar, Missouri, Zoe began to develop a widespread and very painful rash across her entire body. She was then sent on to Women and Children’s Hospital in Columbia, Missouri where she spent 10 painful days, before she was diagnosed with Henoch-Schonlein Purpura (HSP) a vascular disease that attacks the blood vessels in the body near the skin and causes them to bleed inside the body.
Zoe’s family needs your help catching up with Zoe's medical needs, while she prepares for her battle against HSP and it's symptoms along the long path to recovery. While HSP is a rare disease which is most commonly found to infect 2 to 6 year old children, Zoe’s case is classified as serve and long term. The HSP rash has caused deep ulcerations on both knees and blood blisters across most of her body that caused extreme pain to the touch; even air causes her extreme pain. Her skin constantly feels as if it’s on fire.
Treating HSP has been difficult process for Zoe and her family. The steroids she has been prescribed to fight this disease has caused her to double in weight in less than a year, deterioration of her kidneys, and extremely high blood pressure. She also has developed Osteopenia, the precursor to Osteoporosis, which is a weakening of bone density in the body, most commonly found in older adults. This has caused her spinal column from vertebrates T-12 to L-4 to be severely compressed and damaged. Zoe spends the majority of her day in a back brace, and is fully dependent on her mother and family, from getting out of bed, using the bathroom, bathing, and even bending over to tie her shoes.
Besides fighting the HSP, Zoe’s kidney function and blood pressure problems will be an uphill struggle for the next 4 to 5 years. She will continue to have monthly kidney specialist appointments, dermatologist appointments every 6 weeks, and many visits with a pediatric orthopedics specialist to address her Osteopenia. All of these doctors are in Columbia, Missouri, and will cause her family considerable hardship to continue treatment. Doctors have informed her mother that her treatments to cure her disease will most likely result in Zoe not being able to have children as an adult.
Zoe, however, continues to be the most brave and courageous member of her family. No matter how much pain she endures, she is the rock that continues to be strong for Mom and her brother and sister. Zoe’s older sister Brenna suffers from Asperger’s Syndrome, a subtype of autism, which has also been a challenge to the Kirk family.
We thank you so very much from the bottom of our hearts for your participation and generosity and hope that Zoe’s Hope might shine a light on this awful disease and brighten all who hear her remarkable story of courage and triumph.