Baby Zack's Medical Fund

Maryanne Gillam is organizing this fundraiser.

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This funding page has been started by the friends and family of Sarah, Zack and Baby Zacharias.

Anyone that has met Sarah and Zack know that they are healthy, active, positive minded people, that love training in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu and spending time with their cats and friends.

Here is a note from Sarah:

"My pregnancy was completely uneventful, totally healthy, and I trained jiujitsu until 4 plus months pregnant, only quitting when my belt became too tight to tie lol. I remained active as possible although in the end I was huge, I was even cutting the grass just 4 days before he was born!

All the ultrasounds came out normal and I was never was put of any medication. Little Zack decided that 36 weeks was long enough and my water broke then. After two days of trying to be induced Little Zacks heart rate was slowing down and they decided to deliver him via emergency c section.

As soon as little Zack was born it was evident he was a very special boy. He was born without his left eye, and has a very damaged right eye, legally blind. At birth he had a lot of difficulties feeding due to his shape of his mouth and also ability due to breathing and brain differences so he has been fed through a tube since 3 weeks old. We were told he would be prone to seizures and in November he had some but this is now controlled with medication. He has some issues with his heart but at this point does not need surgery for that. It is thought that he has some kind of syndrome but it has not been determined yet what it is or if they can even figure it out.

We have been traveling from fort Mac to edmonton quite frequently at one point 3 weeks in a row, To see many specialists as follows: cardiologist, geneticist, neurologist, urologist, ophthalmologist, occular surgeon, occularist, ear nose throat surgeon, general surgeons, hematologists and many more that I can't remember at the moment.

Little Zack has been always a very sleepy baby, which Zack and I thought may be to do with his differences of his brain as well as side effects of the medications he is on. Last week little Zack was air lifted to edmonton from Fort Mac due to respiratory distress and was put on a ventilator. After many tests and procedures they have come to the conclusion that our son has a very different shaped air way that is all squished together in simple terms and will need a surgery for a tracheostomy to be able to breathe better in hopes of eventually being taken off the ventilator. At the same time they are going to put a more permanent feeding tube directly into his belly and also correct undiscended testicles.

As I'm sure you are all aware it is a very stressful situation having our hopes go so high up and be dropped to rock bottom on a daily basis and at this time we both plan to be with baby every step of the way. We love our little boy more than anything on earth and cannot think of the father returning to work while son in hospital and having multiple surgeries. We are currently staying in hospital with baby and really appreciate all the love and support everyone has been sending us.

Thank You!"

Please take the time to share this page, say a prayer, and if you wish donations can be made to help Sarah, Zack, and Baby Zack during this hospital stay and any others that may come in the future. This fund will go towards helping Little Zack get the best help he can, and we cannot wait to see what potential he has in store for us when he's healthy.

With Love,
-Friends & Family of the Zacharias'

*** Update***

On Saturday Feb 14th Baby Zack went in for his tacheostomy and on Feb 17th he was off the ventilator and bretahing on his own! The Zacharias' still have a long road ahead of them, and are expecting to be in Edmonton for at least another month of two, but it's great to know that everything the doctors and nurses are doing is helping.

Check out that beautiful smile :)