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Baby Hayden was born in Fargo, North Dakota on Saturday February 2nd. There was an immediate concern and he was put on an ECMO machine, which provides heart and lung function so his little body can rest and get stronger. On Sunday Dylan and Erin, Hayden's parents made the difficult decision to transfer Hayden to another Hospital with more resources. Hayden was transferred to the cities to the University of Minnesota Children's Masonic Hospital where doctors have tried everything they can to try and figure out why Hayden is not getting stronger.
Doctors there believe he has a disease called HLH or hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis. It is a life-threatening condition. Patients with primary HLH have cells of the immune system called T and NK cells that don’t work properly. These cells become overactive, causing too much inflammation. Ordinarily, these cells should destroy infected, damaged cells of the body. In HLH, the immune system begins to damage the patient’s own tissues and organs, including the liver, brain and bone marrow where blood is made.
It has not yet been confirmed that Hayden has this but they have started treatment as there was not much else left to try. Treatment is very important for patients with HLH because the condition is life-threatening. The treatments that doctors use suppress the immune system. Patients are usually treated with steroids, chemotherapy (etoposide) and/or antibody therapies that target and destroy T cells (anti-thymocyte globulin / ATG as well as alemtuzumab).
There has been a lot of family and friends that have reached out and want to help. Parents and friends of Dylan and Erin are setting up this account on their behalf to assist them with any medical, travel, housing and meal costs they have incurred and will continue to incur through this long and difficult journey, and to also be able to provide updates to family and friends as they become available.
Our hearts are filled with sorrow through this most difficult situation, but we are remaining positive and hopeful that sweet baby Hayden stays strong and continues to fight. Please send positive thoughts and prayers his way.
Doctors there believe he has a disease called HLH or hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis. It is a life-threatening condition. Patients with primary HLH have cells of the immune system called T and NK cells that don’t work properly. These cells become overactive, causing too much inflammation. Ordinarily, these cells should destroy infected, damaged cells of the body. In HLH, the immune system begins to damage the patient’s own tissues and organs, including the liver, brain and bone marrow where blood is made.
It has not yet been confirmed that Hayden has this but they have started treatment as there was not much else left to try. Treatment is very important for patients with HLH because the condition is life-threatening. The treatments that doctors use suppress the immune system. Patients are usually treated with steroids, chemotherapy (etoposide) and/or antibody therapies that target and destroy T cells (anti-thymocyte globulin / ATG as well as alemtuzumab).
There has been a lot of family and friends that have reached out and want to help. Parents and friends of Dylan and Erin are setting up this account on their behalf to assist them with any medical, travel, housing and meal costs they have incurred and will continue to incur through this long and difficult journey, and to also be able to provide updates to family and friends as they become available.
Our hearts are filled with sorrow through this most difficult situation, but we are remaining positive and hopeful that sweet baby Hayden stays strong and continues to fight. Please send positive thoughts and prayers his way.
Organizer and beneficiary
Dylan Shimell
Beneficiary