Support Junie’s journey to a healthy heart

Katie and Nick welcomed their first child, Juniper ‘Junie’ Faye, into the world on December 6th. During Katie’s pregnancy doctors discovered that Junie had a heart defect. Now that Junie is here and more comprehensive testing has been performed Junie has been diagnosed with 4 heart defects, complete AV Canal Defect, ASD, VSD, and double outlet right ventricle.

Junie spent her first few weeks of life in the NICU at Rush Copley Hospital in Aurora. She received excellent care there but the pediatric cardiologists felt that she had maxed out the care that Rush Copley could offer and Junie was rushed to Lurie’s Children’s hospital on December 22nd. Junie has a long road ahead of her that will require at least one open heart surgery, potentially more than one.

On January 4, 2024 she goes into open heart surgery for a procedure called a Biventricular repair. She will recover at Lurie Childrens, and the doctors have said that recovery could be weeks or months. Junie calls the shots!

Although Katie and Nick were fortunate to find out about Junie’s heart defects early in the pregnancy, nothing could have prepared them for all that this would entail. Their hope is to stay with Junie as much as they can while she is at Lurie’s Children’s Hospital. In addition to Junie’s medical

expenses, they will have daily travel and lodging expenses and a loss of income while they care for Junie during this critical time. This GoFundMe has been set up to help support Katie, Nick and Junie as much as possible during this journey.