Mila's Heart

Healing a Broken Heart: Support the Bocan Family


Their Story: 

Matt and Lisa's 18-week and 5-day anatomy scan for their precious babe began like a routine ultrasound. They watched joyfully as their child danced around on screen and listened closely to the steady, thumping heartbeat.  They asked the tech to keep the gender a secret, as they were planning to host a reveal party the following night.  

What the scan would eventually reveal, however, was that the sweet baby - a girl - has Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome.  The left side of her heart is missing, and other parts did not form correctly.  This is a rare and complex defect which will require multiple surgeries, including one as a newborn.  Instead of planning for a party, a nursery, a maternity leave, the Bocans are now planning for a temporary relocation, surgeries and an extensive hospital stay. 

Some of the top doctors to perform the surgery Mila Rose will need are located at Boston Children's, meaning Matt and Lisa have made the difficult decision to relocate their entire family - including daughter, Brenna, 3, and dogs, Lola and Stella - to Massachusetts from North Carolina.  

Lisa is a nanny, photographer and stay-at-home mom and Matt owns a recruiting/employment service, which he opened last year.  Not only will they have to make trips to see their doctors in Boston, but both will have to take time off starting this summer 2015 to prepare for their move ahead of Mila's birth in September.  Doctors have recommended Lisa be in the place where she'll deliver starting at 35 weeks.  This means they'll be in Boston from August indefinitely until Mila is ready to come home. Their income will be heavily impacted and they'll need our help to cover their existing expenses as well as the added expenses of their relocation.  

How You Can Help:

 - Pray.  The Bocans are a faith-filled family and believe in the power of prayer.  Please keep them in your thoughts.  

- Donate.  Not only do the Bocans have the stress of Mila's health issues, they'll have concerns about money as they take time off/stop working to concentrate on their daughter's wellbeing.  Help them cover relocation, travel and daily living expenses.  

Want to learn more? You can follow their journey on their family blog, http://milasheart.wordpress.com and on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/MilaRoseBocan .