Main fundraiser photo

Chaylia's Brain Surgery "Heal Chay"

Donation protected
           CHAYLIA'S BRAIN & CRANIUM SURGERIES
                      ❤️ Please help to heal Chaylia ❤️ 

Our precious 3 yr old daughter Chaylia just had major brain and cranium surgery in June. We are devastated that she immediately needs to have another major brain/cranium surgery in which they will cut her skull into puzzle pieces and create a larger skull for her so her brain has room to grow. As a mother, it is heart breaking that I want to protect my little daughter from this pain and trauma, and I cannot.

Chaylia has episodes of screaming pain in her head and body at night. Her head hurts her all of the time, and she struggles with concentration and learning. If she does not have these surgeries, she could have problems with her vision, learning, reading and writing, coordination, walking, and damage to her spinal cord.

If you are also able to make a financial donation we would be grateful. Any little bit will help! This will help defray costs of unreimbursed medical expenses, medical travel, time off from work to help Chaylia recover after her surgeries, and ongoing medical testing and treatments at Children's Hospital until she is 10 years old. Please send blessings & prayers for Chaylia's healing!  

❤️ ❤️ ❤️ ❤️ ❤️ ❤️ ❤️ ❤️ ❤️ ❤️ ❤️ ❤️ ❤️ ❤️ ❤️ ❤️ 

Detailed info about Chaylia’s surgeries:
Chaylia has episodes of screaming pain in her head and body at night. Her head hurts her all of the time, and she struggles with concentration and learning. If she does not have these surgeries, she could have problems with her vision, learning, reading and writing, coordination, walking, and damage to her spinal cord.

Childrens Hospital has confirmed that Chaylia has 2 diagnoses: 
1) Mercedes Craniosynostosis and 
2) Chiari Malformation.

She will need to have multiple surgeries or even more serious problems will develop.

DX #1:  MERCEDES CRANIOSYNOSTOSIS
is a premature fusion of the Saggital and Lambdoid sutures in the skull resulting in a skull that will not expand with her growing brain. Since she has premature fusions in 4 different directions her Craniosynostosis is very complicated - not the more usual simple Craniosynostosis. Therefore, they have to essentially cut her skull into puzzle pieces and recreate a larger skull around her brain so her brain has room to grow.

DX #2:  CHIARI MALFORMATION
Since her skull can't expand due to the Mercedes Craniosynostosis (MC), the cerebellum tonsils of her brain (not the tonsils in the throat) have grown down  into her spinal cord because they have nowhere else to go. This blocks the flow of her Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) into her spinal canal. That is called a Chiari malformation. That surgery involves creating a hole in the base her skull to help release the cerebellum tonsils away from the spinal cord, and going inside the lining of the brain to try to reduce the size of her brain's cerebellum tonsils. Hopefully this will allow the Cerebrospinal Fluid to flow more freely.

* While we are so sad and devastated, the good news is that her Seattle Childrens Hospital neurosurgeons Dr. Richard Ellenbogen and Dr. Craig Birgfeld specializes in these diagnoses. To them we are grateful!

Chaylia must have these surgeries immediately or she will have serious problems develop. We are hoping this will be the last surgery but she may have to have more, because holes in the bone of the cranium do not fill in well after age 2. Please pray with us that this next surgery will be successful and will be her last!
Illustration of helping hands

Give $100 to help get this fundraiser to its goal

Make a donation
Make a donation

Donations 

    Illustration of helping hands

    Give $100 to help get this fundraiser to its goal

    Make a donation
    Make a donation

    Organizer

    Chani Phillips
    Organizer
    Yakima, WA

    Your easy, powerful, and trusted home for help

    • Easy

      Donate quickly and easily

    • Powerful

      Send help right to the people and causes you care about

    • Trusted

      Your donation is protected by the GoFundMe Giving Guarantee