Nobody ever prepares you to write one of these posts asking for help. You think your family is immune from tragedy until one day that moment just strikes.

My sister Kortney, a registered nurse and mom of 3, suffered a life threatening stroke in April 2024 while pregnant with her and her fiance Sam’s third daughter. Then, on 11/11, with a lot of blessings and a little luck, they brought a healthy and happy Avery into the world. Kortney later underwent surgery to repair her heart and has since made a near-perfect recovery.

Believing the hardest days were behind us, our family is now struggling with the recent news that, after a severe case of RSV, further testing revealed that Avery has been diagnosed with leukemia.

Avery now needs specialized treatment at a hospital more than 3.5 hours away from home. This means frequent long trips for chemotherapy treatment. The emotional and financial strain will become an uphill battle. Between medical expenses, transportation, lodging, meals, and lost income from time away from work, Kortney’s young family is carrying more than anyone should have to bear at once, and it pains me to think that financial burden should be on their mind at all when the focus needs to be solely on helping their baby fight and overcome this cancer.

We are asking for any support you can give, whether through a donation or by sharing this page. Every contribution will help ease the burden so my sister and her family can focus on being by Avery’s side through every step of this fight.

Please keep Avery, her parents Kortney and Sam, and her sisters Zoe and Marlie in your prayers. Thank you for your compassion, support, and love during this heartbreaking time.

GoFundMe deducts a processing fee from donations. Please contact me (Emily) personally if you would prefer to contribute directly without those fees through Venmo, PayPal, check, cash, Apple Pay, or another method. Venmo is @Kortney-Collins