Goodbye to Lexie Jane

Lexie Jane Lacaran Guinoo was born one month premature in Manila, Philippines, on April 22, 2022 to her father Juan Guinoo and her mother Lucille Lacaran Guinoo after a difficult pregnancy. In vitro tests showed that little Lexie had a congenital heart defect and she was diagnosed at birth with Truncus Arteriosus Type I. This heart defect only affects around 250 children per year in the USA and less than 1 in 10000 live births worldwide).

The CDC describes Truncus Arteriosus as a birth defect of the heart. It occurs when the blood vessel coming out of the heart in the developing baby fails to completely separate during development, leaving a connection between the aorta and pulmonary artery. There are several different types of truncus, depending on how the arteries remain connected. There is also usually a hole between the bottom two chambers of the heart (ventricles) called a ventricular septal defect. Because a baby with this defect may need surgery or other procedures soon after birth, truncus arteriosus is considered a critical congenital heart defect (CCHD). Congenital means present at birth.

In a baby without a congenital heart defect, the right side of the heart pumps oxygen-poor blood through the pulmonary artery to the lungs. The left side of the heart pumps oxygen-rich blood through the aorta to the rest of the body.

In babies with a truncus arteriosus, oxygen-poor blood and oxygen-rich blood are mixed together as blood flows to the lungs and the rest of the body. As a result, too much blood goes to the lungs and the heart works harder to pump blood to the rest of the body. Also, instead of having both an aortic valve and a pulmonary valve, babies with truncus arteriosus have a single common valve (truncal valve) controlling blood flow out of the heart. The truncal valve is often abnormal. The valve can be thickened and narrowed, which can block the blood as it leaves the heart. It can also leak, causing blood that leaves the heart to leak back into the heart across the valve.

For more information about Truncus Arteriosus Type 1, please visit

https://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/heartdefects/truncusarteriosus.html

To complicate matters even more, the hole in Lexie Jane's heart makes it work even harder to pump life-giving blood throughout her tiny body.

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It is a race against time for little Lexie to receive life-saving surgery. She has monthly visits to the Philippine Heart Centre (PHC) in Manila where she is monitored by a wonderful team of specialists.

At her most recent visit to the Center, her parents were informed that she has not gained enough weight for surgery (which they cannot afford anyway at this time), and she will be re-evaluated in two months. Another dilemma, as she grows, the hole in Lexie’s heart grows as well, thus making surgery even more essential.

Lexie’s parents are from a rural area of the Philippines. They were living in the tiny fishing village of Jagna, Bohol but have spent most of Lexie’s life in Manila to be close to the heart center. Her father, Juan, lost his job as a warehouseman because he had to be away so much. So, they have been depending on the kindness of extended family and friends for expenses in Manila.

They have been told that Lexie’s life-saving surgery will cost around 1M Philippine Pesos (Around 25,000 CAD)and related hospital expenses will cost them as much as 0.5M (12,500 CAD). Since starting this Go Fund Me page in mid-January, we have raised just over $4,000 CAD but still have a long way to go.

Lexie’s parents and I are extremely grateful for the money that has been raised so far and are humbled by your kindness. Please donate if you can and SHARE SHARE SHARE

Update: 4 February 2023 by Terrence Layes, Organiser

Lexie is currently admitted to the hospital in Manila for her monthly visit where she has had an angiogram. She is awaiting results.

Update: 9 February 2023 by Terrence Layes, Organiser

The results from Lexie's angiogram are in. She is too underweight to schedule any surgery. We haven't raised enough funds to cover the costs of the procedure anyway, so it is kind of a moot point at this time. Doctors have given her 2 months to gain the weight required to be able to have the procedure. So, that makes this Go Fund Me project even more urgent. We need donations donation donations and sharing of this link to get the word out there.

Update: 1 March 2023 by Terrence Layes, Organiser

Lexie Jane's aunt, Merlyn Lacaran, has kindly offered to advance the surgery and she is schedued for the procedure on March 6, 2023 at eh Philippine Heart Centre in Manila. The money raised to date and all future donations will go to Merlyn and this fundraiser will end at that time.

Please continue to donate and share share share. Lexie's life depends on it.