Support Kenly's Open-Heart Surgery Recovery

Aloha,

My name is Cara, and I’m writing on behalf of my best friend, Kenly Jones, whom I first met in highschool at Le Jardin Academy in Kailua, HI, and her wonderful family.

Kenly is just 21 years old and has been battling a type of connective tissue disease called Marfan syndrome her entire life. In April, she received the devastating news that she would need open heart surgery to replace both her aortic root, ascending aorta, and potentially her valve, which left her with a difficult decision about which type of valve to choose. Given her unique and complex medical situation, she had to travel all the way to Houston, TX, to have the surgery performed by a team of specialists.

The first surgery was performed on July 24th, and while they were able to repair her ascending aorta, aortic root and thankfully save her valve, Kenly faced a setback just days later. On July 31st, she had to undergo an unplanned second surgery to have a permanent pacemaker implanted. Recovery after this second surgery has been incredibly difficult, with Kenly enduring constant, agonizing pain and severe difficulty breathing.

As if that wasn’t enough, on August 9th, her health took another turn for the worse, requiring a third, life-threatening surgery (catheter pericardiocentesis) to remove a dangerous fluid buildup around her heart. This procedure, which was supposed to take just an hour, turned into a five-hour ordeal due to complications from her existing health conditions. Recovery from this last surgery has been especially brutal, and Kenly continues to fight through unbearable pain every single day.

The cost of Kenly’s open heart surgery alone was $400,000, with only about 70% covered by insurance. This doesn’t even account for the two additional surgeries, or the extended hospital stay. Kenly has been in the hospital for almost three weeks, but has thankfully been released as of August 13th.

Her father, Chris, brother, Mekade, and boyfriend, Andre have returned home to New Mexico to keep the family’s day-to-day life running. Meanwhile, her mother, Kimberly, has remained by her side, working tirelessly from a laptop and sleeping on a makeshift hospital bed. This ordeal has been not only physically taxing for Kenly but also deeply emotionally and financially draining for the entire family.

Despite everything they’ve been through, the Jones family continues to face each day with incredible strength and resilience. They are truly a family of fighters, spreading love, hope, and positivity even in the face of such overwhelming adversity.

Please consider donating to help their family during this incredibly challenging time. Every cent will go directly towards covering Kenly’s medical bills and helping this extraordinary family focus on what matters most—Kenly’s recovery.

Mahalo for your kindness and generosity,

Cara