Help repair Weston’s heart! ❤️

There are no words to describe my love for Weston. He is just such a joy to be around! His smile and infectious laugh, are a few of my favorite things in this world. Please consider donating, so we can get this sweet boy the surgery he needs to live a long and healthy life! Our family will forever be grateful. Auntie loves you, Weston David!

A few words from Dave and Laura ...

As parents, you worry about your child’s discomfort, cries, and every breath; but our little Weston is no ordinary child. On a daily basis we worry about Weston's breathing and heart functioning. When he can’t be consoled, Weston grows uncontrollably upset and starts to vomit, causing his oxygen levels to drop, putting his heart at risk.

Weston was born with an imperfect heart which has impacted his lungs development [pulmonary atresia, Ventricular Septal Defect (VSD), and Major Aortopulmonary Collateral Arteries (MAPCAs)]. Over the course of nearly two years, he had several catheterizations and two open heart surgeries to improve his health. Most recently, after his last surgery, doctor’s discovered Weston had lost lower left lung function because the blood flow was not present to keep those arteries open. Unprepared for this devastating news, a second blow came when doctors discussed Weston’s questionable term of life expectancy. Except for the possibility of a heart and double lung transplant, they suggested that we, as parents, should, “have him live his best life and love him.” But that was not an option we would settle for, so we worked with Weston’s team of doctors to consult with a surgeon in California, the only ONE in the world, who could repair Weston’s heart and surgically repair the lung arteries to make them bigger.

Stanford University Doctors are optimistic that they can do a full heart repair, that would include:

• Surgery preop, 11/1/21

• Cardiac Catheterization, 11/2/21

• Heart and lung surgery (10-12 hours), 11/8/21

o Unifocalization (bringing the MAPCAS down to his pulmonary arteries), closing his VSD, and surgically repairing lung arteries to make them bigger.

• Four weeks of recovery

Our family needs to get Weston the life-saving surgery he needs, and why we desperately need your help to get Weston to Stanford University Hospital in California! Traveling, staying for six weeks, and paying out-of-pocket medical expenses not covered by insurance will take a toll on our already exhausted emotional, mental, and financial resources. Some of the costs we are looking at include:

• Recreational Vehicle (RV) rental, roundtrip - Pennsylvania to California, including hook-up, electrical, space rental, gas, maintenance, etc.: $12,000.

• Other Out of pocket medical expenses exceeding insurance deductibles for hospital services, consultations, and medications: $5,000.

Our family sincerely thanks you, from the depths of our hearts, for anything you can donate to help provide Weston with a better quality of life and a future beyond adolescence!

Link to Weston’s conditions:

https://3dqlab.stanford.edu/major-aortopulmonary-collateral-arteries-mapcas/

https://stanfordhealthcare.org/medical-conditions/blood-heart-circulation/valvular-heart-disease.html

https://www.childrenshospital.org/conditions-and-treatments/conditions/p/pulmonary-atresia

We are unsure about flying with Weston both from a medical side and normal toddler side of screaming on a plane. So, we are looking to rent an RV and drive to CA!