I’m Laurie and I’d love to tell you about my best friend’s son, Roy. Roy Straatman is a fun-loving and energetic eight-year-old with a curiosity for all things science. He loves playing soccer, swimming, and playing with his twin sister, Ruby, and little brother, Mack.

A few weeks ago, Roy began experiencing chest pain. After numerous tests, his family was shocked to learn that he was born with right coronary artery from the left sinus of Valsalva, a rare congenital abnormality representing less than 3% of the congenital coronary anomalies. He will be undergoing open-heart surgery in the next few weeks to correct the anomaly and give Roy the best chance to live a healthy and happy life. Roy aspires to work as a marine biologist, an entomologist, and a fashion designer (just to name a few!).

The Straatman family are the most giving and selfless people I have had the privilege of knowing. Roy’s parents, Chelsea and Rob, will need to take a large portion of unpaid leave from their jobs during this time. The medical bills for Roy's testing, surgery, and care are already significant. Please send your thoughts, prayers, and good energy to Roy and his surgeons as he goes through what no eight-year-old should have to endure. Please help Chelsea and Rob as they navigate this unknown; they need the means to continue to care for their family and pay their monthly bills in addition to the costly medical costs to come. We are incredibly grateful for any financial assistance.