Katie has been my best friend since high school, and I can say without hesitation that she is one of the strongest mothers I know. She has raised her three daughters completely on her own, carrying the full weight of motherhood on a single income, always putting her girls before everything else.
Right now, she is facing the kind of fear no parent is ever prepared for.
Her daughter, Aria, has been diagnosed with Chiari I malformation, a condition where part of her brain sits too low and compresses the base of her skull, putting pressure on her brainstem and affecting vital functions like breathing. But this is only part of her battle.
Aria also lives with chromosome 10q duplication, growth hormone deficiency, hearing loss, ketotic hypoglycemia, bilateral cystic kidney disease (stage 2 failure), and epilepsy. Her body is fighting so much at once, and Katie has been right beside her through it all.
Over time, Aria’s symptoms have worsened; severe head pain, leg pain, exhaustion, and disrupted sleep. A recent sleep study confirmed central sleep apnea, meaning her brain is not always signaling her body to breathe while she sleeps. Because of this, doctors have said surgery is no longer optional, it’s necessary.
On May 28, Aria will undergo Chiari decompression surgery to relieve the pressure on her brain.
Katie will not leave her side. But as a single mother with no additional income or support, being there for her daughter means stepping away from work, and losing her only source of income during this critical time.
She is carrying the fear of her child going into brain surgery, while also worrying about how she will continue to provide for all three of her girls.
No one should have to carry that alone.
I created this fundraiser to help ease even a small part of that burden, so Katie can focus on what matters most, being there for Aria and her daughters.
Any donation will go toward essential living expenses and medical-related costs while Katie is unable to work. If you’re not able to give, sharing this would mean just as much!
Thank you for keeping Katie, Aria, and her sisters in your thoughts during this incredibly difficult time.