Brain Surgery for Xena the Baby Goat

Hi, my name is Sam and I run a small farm in Midcoast Maine. On Mother's Day, I helped deliver a tiny little goat girl with a birth defect where her skull did not close correctly. I assumed this baby was not long for the world but resolved to make her comfortable. It's been 2 weeks now, and she has defied all expectations. We have named her Xena Warrior Princess in recognition of her will to live.

She has learned how to stand and walk and nibble anything she can try to fit into her mouth. Her vision is not great and she is extremely wobbly, but other than that she is a normal baby goat... Except for the raw bulge in the middle of her forehead where a dime size piece of brain is visible. I have consulted with pediatric neurologists who think she is a good candidate for surgery if a place can be found to perform the operation.

I am currently reaching out to veterinary schools across New England to see if anyone is willing to perform neonatal brain surgery for free or reduced cost. This fundraiser is to cover any medical expenses baby Xena will require, including the real possibility we will have to take her several states away to a specialty clinic at Tufts or Cornell.

If we manage to raise more funds than are necessary for her medical expenses, any surplus will be invested into the barn we are currently building to provide better housing for our approximately 25 sheep and goats, plus the farm's handsome Dartmoor pony.