Help the Berwald family: Xenia's Ninth Brain Surgery!

Xenia is the bravest and strongest five-year-old I've ever known, and she- and her family!- need our help. Hi! I'm Xenia's Auntie Jillian and I'm raising funds to help support my chosen family in an immensely challenging time.

Today on May 1st, Xenia will undergo her 9th brain surgery to date in order to restore CSF flow and 'normal' function of her lifesaving VP shunt- on the anniversary of the most difficult & traumatic hospitalization the Berwald family has experienced. In her father's words, 'We can definitely use all the help we can get. We may look like we're holding [it] together (ha), but we're holding it together even less than it looks like we are.'

Even in the midst of utter chaos, Joy and Joshua and the tiny Berwalds (Kelilah, Xenia, Eleos, Korban and the best dog ever, Pippin) have always been here for me, no questions asked. If I could wave a magic wand to fix it all for them, I absolutely would. But I'm only one person and I need YOUR help to help my family.

With another brain surgery comes a whole slew of unforeseen added expenses including increased food cost with the family in two places, childcare, dog care, parking, gas to and from so dad can be there too...and to add to the adventure, the need for surgery comes in the midst of a move into a new space that will better fit their family that is much sooner than they originally planned (we all know how expensive moving is on its own!) It all adds up quickly! This all lands right before Joy's birthday (May 3rd) AND their wedding anniversary (May 10th). I can't make this stuff up.

I've seen what y'all can do; let's rally together and take care of the Berwald family as they do for others!