Help Ava, our Cystic Fibrosis Warrior

WE HAVE A HUGE UPDATE!!!!

Ava is out of the ICU and doing absolutely wonderful on the Pulmonary unit! They are anticipating discharge end of the week!  Their temporary apartment next to the hospital is all ready to go. Jen and John are excited, nervous, and scared but oh so ready to get their sweet girl out of the hospital.  Once they are discharged they will be there everyday for labs, clinic appts, PT, and all that jazz that comes along with having a bilateral lung transplant for at least two months. Then back and forth for many months for appointments and such.  It’s so hard to comprehend that they’ve been there for 297 days. 

Please continue to pray for our Princess Ava CF Warrior! She is one tough princess! 

Continue to pray for John and Jen. John will continue his travels back and forth from home to Houston, working during the week. It’s been a very long 297 days with all they’ve had to endure, but they’re close to the finish line! If you feel led to give please do so. They still have so many expenses especially with the continued travels for John week after week. Thank you for following along on Ava’s journey! Ava is so loved and prayed over and we are all so thankful! Her life and story has reached so many people across the states. 

Thank you for being a huge part of AVA’S ARMY! NO ONE FIGHTS ALONE

My name is Alisha, and I am raising money for our sweet 4 year old family friend, Ava Thomas. Ava was diagnosed with Cystic Fibrosis at 3 weeks old. Almost exactly 4 years to the day on April 23rd, she experienced her very first ER visit. Up until this point her incredible parents, John and Jen, have managed to keep her well at home. Even through heights of Covid, she stayed protected and well.

Unfortunately the ER visit led to a critical inpatient hospital stay in the Pediatric ICU.

She started at St. Tammany and then was transferred to Children’s Hospital. She developed a productive cough mid April which they treated with oral antibiotics until she had an allergic reaction. 2 days later they ended up in the ER-then PICU. Something viral or bacterial caused her little lungs to be sick and due to the CF it is harder for her to fight off this infection.

Early Monday morning April 25th Ava was intubated and placed on a ventilator. She is receiving multiple antibiotics IV along with IV nutrition, multiple breathing treatments and therapies. However, her lungs remain very sick at this time, and we do not know how long she will require the ventilator. 

Ava was transferred to Texas Children’s Hospital and has now been there for over 100 days. She has also since had a tracheostomy and been on the ventilator as well as ECMO, Extracorporeal membrane oxygen. ECMO is a treatment that uses a pump to circulate blood through an artificial lung machine and back into the bloodstream. 

Ava is now awaiting a suitable donor to have a bilateral lung transplant. I can’t even imagine hearing those words for my child. John and Jen have incredible hope and faith and know her medical team is doing all they can for Ava as they wait. 

She has a long road ahead, and financial burdens is not something any parent should worry about while their child is fighting in a hospital bed. Jen stays with Ava and has not been home since April, which means she has not been able to work since April. John does his best to go back and forth and work as much as he can. I am asking for prayers first and if you are able to give, this family would absolutely appreciate your support. We know that with God, all things are possible! Ava is a fighter and we know God is fighting alongside her. We cannot wait to see her smiling, singing, and laughing with everyone again! Please join Ava’s Army and support this incredible child!