Baby Girl’s Medical Journey Fund
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I am starting this page for my cousin who is like a sister to me.
A few months back she let me know she was pregnant with her first baby! Like any first time parents, she and her fiancé, John, were nervous and very excited. At her 18 week fetal anatomy scan they received some devastating news. Their baby girl had what looked like a moderate to severe congenital diaphragmatic hernia (CDH).
After many referrals, appointments, ultrasounds, and an MRI, the diagnosis was confirmed. Yearly, 1600 babies are born with CDH in the United States alone. With a 50% survival rate, 800 of those babies will die.
This was the statistic Alicia and John had to hear about their baby girl from Children’s Hospital in Boston, which we all know is one of the best hospitals for kids in the country. When she told me over lunch one day what was going on, I immediately said “no, we have to do better!”
She explained to me she had spent hundreds of hours talking with other moms with CDH babies, reading post after post, and researching out of state/country programs. She did what any nurse and Mom would do she felt guilt and sadness, blamed herself but then knew she had to find a better outcome for her tiny lady. The same day we had lunch, I started my own frantic efforts to find a way to help. I watched video after video on YouTube about a doctor in Florida who had the best survival rates with babies born with CDH, 90%!!!! Alicia and John had also come across these videos but were unsure due to financial factors, insurance barriers, and travel how they would get to Dr. Kays.
Since that time they have decided they have to go to Dr. Kays for their girl to have the best chance. With this campaign, I am hoping to raise money for them in order to cover living, travel, and medical expenses while they are in Florida. They will be relocating in early March. Every little bit helps and we appreciate anything you can give!
Michaela Dumais on behalf of Alicia, John, & their baby girl
Alicia & John

Baby Girl- 18 weeks
Additional info:
https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/healthlibrary/conditions/pregnancy_and_childbirth/congenital_diaphragmatic_hernia_22,congenitaldiaphragmatichernia
A few months back she let me know she was pregnant with her first baby! Like any first time parents, she and her fiancé, John, were nervous and very excited. At her 18 week fetal anatomy scan they received some devastating news. Their baby girl had what looked like a moderate to severe congenital diaphragmatic hernia (CDH).
After many referrals, appointments, ultrasounds, and an MRI, the diagnosis was confirmed. Yearly, 1600 babies are born with CDH in the United States alone. With a 50% survival rate, 800 of those babies will die.
This was the statistic Alicia and John had to hear about their baby girl from Children’s Hospital in Boston, which we all know is one of the best hospitals for kids in the country. When she told me over lunch one day what was going on, I immediately said “no, we have to do better!”
She explained to me she had spent hundreds of hours talking with other moms with CDH babies, reading post after post, and researching out of state/country programs. She did what any nurse and Mom would do she felt guilt and sadness, blamed herself but then knew she had to find a better outcome for her tiny lady. The same day we had lunch, I started my own frantic efforts to find a way to help. I watched video after video on YouTube about a doctor in Florida who had the best survival rates with babies born with CDH, 90%!!!! Alicia and John had also come across these videos but were unsure due to financial factors, insurance barriers, and travel how they would get to Dr. Kays.
Since that time they have decided they have to go to Dr. Kays for their girl to have the best chance. With this campaign, I am hoping to raise money for them in order to cover living, travel, and medical expenses while they are in Florida. They will be relocating in early March. Every little bit helps and we appreciate anything you can give!
Michaela Dumais on behalf of Alicia, John, & their baby girl
Alicia & John
Baby Girl- 18 weeks
Additional info:https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/healthlibrary/conditions/pregnancy_and_childbirth/congenital_diaphragmatic_hernia_22,congenitaldiaphragmatichernia
Organizer and beneficiary
Shay Dumais
Organizer
Lunenburg, MA
Alicia Fahrenholt
Beneficiary
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