Back in February (2023), my niece Julia was rushed to the hospital. She was having a stroke. At only 19 years old. She had two more strokes and spent her 20th birthday in the hospital. When she was there the medical team found a hole in her heart. We now know that the hole is too large to fix with a minimally invasive surgery. Julia is scheduled for open heart surgery on July 21, 2023.

Julia has recovered well from her strokes. Her speech and motor abilities returned quickly. She still has some problems with word finding and she lost her peripheral vision. Julia hopes to go to school to become a dental hygenist but all of her plans have been put on hold since February when she had her first stroke. I'm looking for some help to cover her medical expenses and travel for the follow-ups and rehab that will take place as she recovers.