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Baby Mackenzie “Kenzie” Azriel and family

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PLEASE take a few minutes out of your day to read the story of baby Mackenzie Azriel. I pray this will touch the hearts of others and we can help this local Alberta family over the holidays. I know it looks to be a long story but its not a story that can be summed up.

Baby ‘Kenzie’s’ Story.
September 26,2018. Mom Carly, dad Scott and brothers Jordie and Carter welcome a beautiful baby girl, Mackenzie Aziel.

Nov 9/2018 Suddenly, 3 month old Mackenzie was admitted to the Children’s Stollery with focal seizures. 12 days later they were discharged with not knowing exactly why they started. Leaving mom and dad were told she wouldn’t be able to walk or use her right side as much. The family went through with follow up appointments with the Paediatrician and Neurologist monthly, Surprisingly, Mackenzie has started using both sides just as equally and showing no difficulty with the right side of her body. July 17th- The day all their lives were forever changed. Their baby girl became fevered and presented very weak. She began to breath heavily, with high blood pressure and low oxygen levels. After hours in the ER they were sent home with a steroid, xrays showed her lungs were clear. As the night went on Mom (Carly) knew something just wasn’t right. Carly took her to the paediatrician with symptoms of sleepiness, fever and heavy breathing. Again, they found themselves back in the ER then were transported to the Edmonton Stollery and eventually admitted into G5. What happened next is a would be a parents worst fear. Carly had looked over at her baby girl and noticed her skin turned grey, her tongue blue. Terrified, she called for a nurse who then called a CODE BLUE. The room was instantly over flowing with nurses and doctors. Scott and Carly were taken to the back of the room where we could hear the emergency team say they “have no pulse”. Mom and Dad then watched their 10 month old daughter being rushed out of the room while being given CPR. Thankfully the team was able to bring her back and taken her to the PICU where they had to do a procedure where they inserted a “ecmo” that would help her heart rest and so the work. After several hours, Scott and Carly were reunited with their daughter. But not yet able to hold her in their arms with all the machines and iv’s around her. Her heart and kidneys had failed.

After 8 days on heart support the family was given the option to see how Mackenzie would do 24 hours without the support. Sadly, without support her vitals dropped and was needing to be put back on to keep her here with her family. With not knowing the diagnosis, or if Mackenzie was eligible for a transplant they went forward with the “Berlin Heart”. Baby Mackenzie has doctors working for her from the following fields, neurology and stroke, Vad heart, Transplant, and Cardiac.

A diagnosis: Mackenzie had high enzymes in a rare disease called “Mitochondrial” doctors confirmed.

Results from Cardiac doctors: Mackenzie suffered from a cardiomyopathy where her heart failed so quickly but still they don’t know why. Results from the Metabolics team (October 27,2019), that confirmed Mackenzie had this rare disease, her being the 4th child in the WORLD to have. Sadly, 2 children have died before the age of 2, and the 3rd is in his teens with brain disabilities. Mackenzie is known to be the only child out of the 4 with a severely sick heart. The disease effects 90% of the bodies energy being the main furnace to her body. While being on the Berlin, Mackenzie had suffered complications, a seizure and a huge stroke, that has effected half her brain. She has since been fighting a threatening infection.
WITH ALL THAT MACKENZIE HAS FACED AND CONTINUES TO FIGHT AGAINST, SHE HAS STILL BEEN ABLE TO SOMEWHAT COME BACK TO HERSELF AND SMILE, PLAY AND LAUGH WITH HER MOM, DAD, AND TWO BROTHERS within the walls of her home in the Stollery.
By being on the Berlin it limits the family to being able to leave her living quarters.
On November 27th 2019, mom and dad are told Mackenzie is not a successful candidate for a heart transplant.

As you read this, doctors are keeping Kenzie girl comfortable until they clamp her Berlin heart. Doctors don’t know how Mackenzies little heart will do that day, the family is praying for the best outcome but know to prepare that the worst can happen.

Words from mom Carly
~“We’re hoping to have Christmas. And as long as our baby is fighting we will be along side with her”
~“Our oldest son is so heartbroken it’s the hardest thing to tell what’s going on and that we’re all relying on faith now.”

Carly and Scott spend every night bedside of their baby girl. They have a 2 year old son, Carter, who stays with a relative not far from the Stollery, at the Ronald Macdonald house. Their 10 year old son, Jordie, stays local and attends Sacred Heart School in Wetaskiwin, where he also plays hockey. Jordie and his grandmother make the daily trip to the Stollery to see his parents and sister. Carly, Scott, and Carter also take turns putting in the daily miles and travel time to support their son and his love for hockey.
With all this being said, I know there is nothing that can change the outcome of their daughter Mackenzies condition. But I do know that with the love and support of others, we can help to give them the best possible Christmas together as a full family, we can help with their travel and living expenses, and most importantly, show them that they have the love and support of so many. Whether its from family, friends or a perfect stranger. This family has been through so much within the last year and are now living off prayers and trying to accept and come to peace with everything.
So I ask that if at all possible, you open your heart to help lift their hearts.
The family appreciates and are very grateful for all the prayers and love from everyone.
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    Organizer and beneficiary

    Chelsea Yellowbird
    Organizer
    Wetaskiwin, AB
    Carly Littlechild
    Beneficiary

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