Jude's Battle With CHD

Last Christmas my brother, Mike, and his wife, Madeline, were so excited to announce that they were expecting baby number four.  Their kids were eager to find out if they were going to have a new brother or sister.  Madeline went in for an ultrasound, where she was first told there might be an abnormality.  

What the Doctor found was a potential diagnosis of a heart defect in their baby BOY.  After multiple trips all over North Carolina and Washington D.C. the diagnosis was confirmed (double outlet right ventricle with possible coarctation of the aorta) and preparations were made for their son, Jude, to be born in Washington D.C. where he can get the best treatment available.

Since then they have had to travel back and forth from North Carolina to Washington D.C. for check ups, and at the end of June temporarily relocated to the D.C. area to prepare for the delivery.

Jude was born on August 2nd, 2017 in Washington D.C. and was immediately transported to Children’s Hospital Cardiac Intensive Care Unit where he has fought to gain strength and breath on his own. At two weeks old, he is scheduled for open heart surgery, August 15, 2017, and begin his journey to recovery.

 While he has been fighting his fight with Coronary Heart Disease (CHD), Madeline has also had her struggles beginning the day Jude was born keeping her away from him for the first couple of days while she was cared for in a separate hospital.  Since then she has been in the hospital 2 more times for continued complications related to delivery, which have made this difficult time even more challenging.

Mike and Madeline are not the type of people who would ever ask for help, but if we could assist them with the countless expenses and financial burden during this time of need it would be greatly appreciated.

Any little bit will help, and please keep Mike, Madeline, Liam, Colin, Elaina and Jude in your prayers.