Hello everyone, my name is Ashley Ryan and I am setting up this account for my best friend of 20 years and her family (her husband Chris and daughter Aeris).

They welcomed their beautiful baby girl Aela on June 26, 2025, weighing 5 lbs, 15 oz. Unfortunately, her health condition was unforeseen during maternal ultrasounds and at birth. Later on down the road, Emily and Chris began to live every parent’s nightmare of the journey their sweet baby girl is going to have to go through and overcome. Aela was born with holes in her heart causing issues with her breathing and poor weight gain. Aela was previously admitted into Riley Children’s Hospital cardiac unit. She had a procedure done where they put a band around her pulmonary artery, which consists of a small incision, but big for such a little girl and very exhausting.

While Aela has a lot to overcome in her little life, her parents are struggling financially. Emily is having to extend her maternity leave because Aela will be in the hospital for another month or more. While Riley does a great job ensuring families have what they need there, bills don’t stop. Medical bills will start flowing in, gas to and from the hospital, snacks for mom as she is a breastfeeding mother. This is certainly not the end of Aela’s medical journey; she will have more to overcome.

Please pray for Aela and her family. I will keep you updated as she continues her heart journey.