*UPDATE*

In June, Bri's cardiologists decided to postpone her open heart surgery until they could find the cause of the her blood infection, which is what damaged her heart. During a colonoscopy, a tumor connecting her large and small intestines was biopsied. Bri was diagnosed with colon cancer at the beginning of July.

The surgical team has agreed that the tumor must be taken care of before the heart surgery. Bri and her father will be heading to Cleveland on September 23rd to meet with the surgical team to make sure her heart and lungs are able to withstand a non invasive procedure to try to remove the cancer the following day. We are hopeful for a successful procedure, because the alternative is a much more invasive abdominal surgery.

Either way, there will be at least 3 more costly trips to Cleveland, and every bit helps.

Thank you to everyone for the support. She has a great support system! We love and appreciate you so much!

On Halloween morning, 2023, Bri Burghardt’s life was flipped upside down. After a misdiagnosis of bronchitis at a walk in, Bri was rushed to the Emergency Room coughing up blood, and was diagnosed with a life threatening saddle pulmonary embolism which blocked both lobes of her lungs. She underwent a 10 hour double catheter lung surgery. During recovery, Bri became septic from a blood infection, and was fighting for her life. Battling kidney failure and on heavy antibiotics, Bri had to undergo an exploratory heart exam, where the doctors found vegetation growth on her Aortic Valve as a result of the blood infection. After 4 weeks of IV antibiotics, the damage to the valve was so extensive that she will now have to undergo open heart surgery to have a mechanical valve put in to ensure no further damage to her heart occurs, and it is the only option to restore her ability to return to her active lifestyle of teaching and coaching.

Although Bri has been able to return to work while waiting to get into The Cleveland Clinic for her heart procedure, expenses are piling up. In addition to being a single mother supporting her beautiful and talented daughter Nylah, she has had to give up two seasons of coaching, tutoring and her work at The Chalk Market. In addition to the financial strain, if you know Bri- she LOVES to work and this is taking a toll on her emotionally to have to walk away from the students, athletes and job she loves.

Bri and her immediate family will be traveling to The Cleveland Clinic for preliminary work ups for her open heart procedure in Mid April. Over the next several months, there will be hotel bills, gas and lots of meals eaten on the road. Let’s take some of the stress off of her family, and help if we can!