Mila's Village -- Support Mila’s Ongoing Medical Care

Mila's Village

In November 2024, sweet Mila Rae entered the world and immediately faced far more than most of us will in a lifetime. After a full-term pregnancy and a healthy delivery, she was unexpectedly rushed to the NICU at the Children’s Hospital of Buffalo undergoing life-saving surgery within hours of her birth. By just two months old, Mila had already survived three critical surgeries.

Despite countless prenatal tests and ultrasounds, Mila’s complex medical conditions—including blindness and other congenital challenges—were not detected until birth. Since coming home (after 51 intense and emotional days in the NICU), she has already returned to the hospital multiple times for emergency care with more surgeries and treatments expected in the coming months.

This campaign is being organized by family and friends, because we know how hard it is for Brittany and Rob (Mila’s parents) to ask for help—especially while they’re focused on Mila, managing her day-to-day care and navigating a rollercoaster of medical appointments and hospital visits. Mila's mom Brittany is unable to return to work due to circumstances regarding Mila's extreme medical requirements. Thankfully, insurance is covering much of Mila’s medical expenses for now; but there’s still a tremendous amount of financial uncertainty—from unpaid time off, hospital stays, travel, meals, mental health care, and other unexpected needs that pop up constantly. Mila's dad Rob works in the construction industry; his work consists of long days of manual labor with little paid time off.

What’s harder to capture in words is the emotional toll this journey has taken. Mila’s condition involves many terrifying, unpredictable seizures that continue to disrupt daily life and create constant fear and anxiety throughout the day and nighttime. Brittany has been open about how traumatic these episodes have been. It is also next to impossible to arrange child care as Mila has a feeding tube, ileostomy, and requires frequent deep suctioning, all of which require extensive training and experience. She is also on a strict medication schedule to try to prevent breakthrough seizures, of which Mila has had many.

It’s difficult to plan for the road ahead, but we know the community wants to lift this family up. So many people have asked how they can help, so . . .

✨ How You Can Help

Thank you for surrounding this incredible little girl and her brave mother and father with love, strength, and support. Your generosity means the world to them—and to all of us standing beside them.

Your donation, your prayers, and you being a part of Mila's Village is so much appreciated!