My name is Elizabeth and I am Tom and Amber’s sister. As most of you know, we have all been completely blessed to be adding another member to our family in February, Tom and Amber’s little potato, Baby Kort!

What some of you may not know… is 22 weeks into Amber’s pregnancy, they received the heartbreaking news that baby has been diagnosed with severe Ventriculomegaly, a condition characterized by enlarged ventricles in the brain. This rare diagnosis, occurring in about 2 in 1,000 pregnancies, is believed to be caused by Aqueductal Stenosis — a narrowing of the aqueduct of Sylvius, which blocks the flow of cerebrospinal fluid in the brain. The doctors have determined that this is an isolated case with no known genetic cause. They are fortunate for that, as many babies diagnosed with this have other genetic or health issues.

Since the diagnosis, they have attended numerous doctor’s appointments to better understand the implications for BK’s health. They are under the care of Maternal Fetal Medicine specialists, who are closely monitoring the ventricles, the baby’s growth, and overall health. There is a strong possibility that BK will need to spend time in the NICU after birth and may require surgery, such as a brain shunt or an endoscopic third ventriculostomy (ETV), to help manage the fluid buildup.

Sluggers Sports Academy is graciously hosting a blood drive this Saturday (12/13) to further support baby and parents, and they deserve all the support in the world! Tom is a trainer at Sluggers Academy and has loved giving baseball lessons to kids of all ages.

We have been asked by so many people who are unable to donate blood if they can make a monetary donation, which is why we do not have a fundraising goal. We just wanted to make this as seamless as possible for anyone wanting to support my brother and sister in lieu of a blood donation. All of the proceeds and donations will go towards any of BK’s needed medical intervention and care in the hospital once our perfect new family member is out of Amber’s adorable little belly! The unbelievable amount of love and prayers have touched our family in ways no one can understand and we all appreciate the continued support, in so many ways and on so many levels.

A NOTE FROM TOM AND AMBER:

We have been deeply touched by the outpouring of support from so many of you! We appreciate your prayers and continued support as we navigate this difficult time. We just know that God has his hand on us and our baby and that baby is already so, so loved and we could not be more grateful for anything as we are for that. Thank you from the bottom of our hearts!

Sincerely, The Kort Family.