After much thought, Robert and I have decided to reach out to our friends and community for support with Anna’s medical journey.

As many of you know, Anna has faced more medical challenges in her first two years of life than most people encounter in a lifetime. After countless hospital visits, procedures, and more blood than even a vampire would want, doctors finally uncovered the cause of her life threatening attacks: Acute Hepatic Porphyria. Unfortunately, the diagnosis was not an end to her journey.

This rare condition affects her body’s ability to produce hemoglobin, causing a toxic buildup in her liver that triggers severe and debilitating attacks. These episodes bring unimaginable pain and a host of other symptoms. She has toxic diarrhea that burns her insides, extreme fatigue and muscle weakness, insomnia and a variety of mental changes, and muscle dystonia, which causes jerks and clenching in her muscles, as well as facial grimacing. These attacks cause chronic gastritis and bladder, kidney, gallbladder, liver, and vision complications. She has seizures, peripheral neuropathy, and even loses her ability to balance and walk during an attack.

Yet somehow, through all of her pain and struggles, Anna has kept her humor, sass, fierce independence, and a strong love for her big brother Michael. She loves dancing, animals, and getting filthy in a good mud puddle!

Anna’s condition requires highly specialized care. Her entire team of amazing specialists acknowledged that they have reached the limits of what they can provide. They unanimously decided to refer Anna to the University of Texas Medical Branch near Galveston, home to one of the few centers in the country that specializes in properly assessing and treating individuals with acute hepatic porphyrias.

This is a huge step in Anna’s care, but it comes with significant financial challenges. Over the past two years, we’ve exhausted our resources and spent more than $22,000 out of pocket just on Anna's medical expenses alone. This upcoming trip to Galveston adds yet another layer of costs to the ongoing medical expenses: travel, hotel, boarding for our dogs while away, specialist visits, and additional tests.

We’re asking for your help to make this trip possible, and ease the future financial burden of her care. Every contribution, no matter the size, brings us closer to getting Anna the care she needs.

Thank you for your consideration and support in helping Anna on her journey towards a healthier and brighter future! ❤️