Lucy Strong

Lucy Elizabeth Payne was born on November 4th 2017, to Marcus and Kaitlin Payne, both teachers in Wilmington North Carolina. They discovered mid-pregnancy that Lucy had Pfeiffer Syndrome, an incredibly rare Genetic Disorder. Pfeiffer Syndrome is characterized by the premature fusion of certain skull bones (craniosynostosis). This early fusion prevents the skull from growing normally and affects the shape of the head and face, with an array of other complications. After researching surgeons and hospitals all over the country, they decided Duke University Hospital would be best suited for all the complications that lay ahead.

Lucy was born at Duke University Hospital weighing 6 pounds 11 ounces and she immediately stole the hearts of everyone that came in contact with her. Since birth Lucy has been faced with a number of obstacles and surgeries. Some of the largest being small nasal passages leading her to receive a tracheostomy, malrotaion of her intestines, fusion of her elbows, numerous abnormalities of her vascular and lymphatic system, auditory stenosis and perhaps one of the most challenging being the total reconstruction of her skull. In her first 2 months of life, Lucy has already endured 10+ surgeries. Through all of the hurdles, Lucy has shown her strength and determination. She is definitely one strong little girl.

Lucy is currently recovering from her multiple surgeries in the NICU at Duke University Childrens Hospital. The Payne family still has an incredibly tough journey ahead of them. Pfieffer Syndrome is associated with numerous develpomental issues that may be present as Lucy continues to grow.  There will also be numerous reconstructive surgeries coming up for her over the course of the next few years.

These donations are needed to help with the growing amount of medical bills the family is facing, as well as be used to continue to ensure that Lucy gets the best possible treatment to help her live with this syndrome and have access to all the services needed.

The Payne family would like to thank everyone for their amazing continued support, prayers, and generous donations. All donations are greatly appreciated, and even the smallest amount will make an impactful difference in Lucy's quality of life.

#lucystrong #teampayne #fightlikelucy #champ