Hi, my name is Courtney, and I’m reaching out with a heavy but hopeful heart to ask for your support as we navigate an incredibly challenging and uncertain time for our family.

Our sweet daughter, Winter, was born on August 29th, 2025, with Trisomy 18, a rare genetic condition. We were told by our local hospital in Champaign, IL, that she had a 0% chance of survival and they would not provide treatment. Refusing to give up on her, we made the difficult decision to travel six hours away to Children’s Mercy Hospital in Kansas City, MO, where doctors agreed to care for her.

Despite all odds, Winter is here and doing well overall in the NICU. She is strong, beautiful, and showing us every day that she wants to be here. However, this journey is far from over.

Winter will likely need to stay in the hospital for 4–6 months before she can become eligible for the heart surgery she needs. During this time, I’ve had to stop working to be by her side full-time in Kansas City. Her dad, Justin, is traveling back and forth between Illinois and Missouri to continue working and be with us as much as possible.

While we’ve been blessed with housing and food support during this time, we are now facing mounting travel, medical, and care-related expenses. We’re still unsure how much of Winter’s hospital bills and long-term care we’ll be responsible for. In the meantime, the weekly travel costs for Justin, medical supplies, and out-of-pocket necessities are adding up quickly.

We’re asking for your help to raise funds to support:

Travel expenses for Justin to visit Winter regularly

Medical bills and supplies not covered by insurance

Day-to-day care costs while we remain far from home

We are deeply grateful for any donation, no matter the size, and we also ask that you share our story to help us reach others who may want to help. Your kindness and support mean more than we can ever express.

From the bottom of our hearts—thank you.

Courtney, Justin & Baby Winter