<div>UPDATED:
</div>
<div><br />
</div>
<div>Hello, our names are Colleen and Jonathan King. We are reaching out for help with the journey of our baby girl, Oliviah. What began with the excitement of expecting another blessing from the Lord, with the silly gender mishap (as some of you know), and cute little outfits and bows, has turned to feelings of heartbrokenness, powerlessness, and shattered disbelief. Yet, through all of this, we remain hopeful, knowing that God has a hand in all of it. Following my 19-week ultrasound, we received the devastating news that Oliviah has been diagnosed with a L4 Myelomeningocele, a form of spina bifida. In Oliviah's case, the defect is low on her back, at the lumbar region, which is a good thing. She also shows the "banana and lemon signs," which is due to an elongated cerebellum, which is a sign of the Chiari II malformation, which means her brainstem is being pulled down into her spinal canal at the C2-C3 region. Her head circumference is also below percentile, caused by the Chiari II malformation.
</div>
<div><br />
</div>
<div>To minimize complications of spinal bifida and give Oliviah the best possible chance at living a life as close to "normal" as possible, we have chosen a high-risk in-utero surgery. After being informed that the open fetal surgery has similar outcomes to that of the closed fetoscopic surgery, but it increases the risk for uterine rupture in subsequent pregnancies, we opted for the closed fetoscopic surgery. The closed fetoscopic surgery is an in-utero surgery that uses a fetoscope (a small camera) and instruments that are inserted through three small incisions in the uterus to repair the spina bifida before birth. This surgery will allow the surgeons to operate on Oliviah, repairing her spine and the defect while she is still in utero. This surgery also gives hope of a VBAC (vaginal birth after a c-section) vs. A c-section being required for the open fetoscopic procedure. Oliviah has now officially been approved for surgery as the amniocentesis revealed an open neural tube defect, and genetics came back normal. We have a surgical consult next week with surgery scheduled for October 8th (I will be just over 24 weeks then). <a href="https://www.childrensmn.org/services/care-specialties-departments/fetal-medicine/conditions-and-services/spina-bifida/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"><a href="https://www.childrensmn.org/services/care-specialties-departments/fetal-medicine/conditions-and-services/spina-bifida/" target="_blank" class="" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer">https://www.childrensmn.org/services/care-specialties-departments/fetal-medicine/conditions-and-services/spina-bifida/</a></a> offers information on spina bifida and the type of surgery she will be receiving. As you may have heard, I have been diagnosed with both gestational hypertension (high blood pressure) and gestational diabetes. Because the steroid given to help with lung development (in case of the need for an emergency delivery) can increase blood sugar, I will need to check in on the 12th to be monitored closely. After surgery, I will spend the first few days in the hospital, then I will need to stay locally until 30 weeks. During this time, I will also need to be on bed rest for up to about 3 weeks. Fortunately, I have housing figured out for my stay. I will be able to go home from 30-34 weeks, then I will need to stay locally until her delivery. After delivery, she will have a minimum NICU stay of 3-4 of weeks. I appreciate prayers for the upcoming surgery. But also, as you can imagine, this can lead to immense financial strain, so support is being requested to cover:
</div>
<div><br />
</div>
<div>Travel, lodging, and food: Travel and a stay for extensive hospital stay visits for Jon and our children, as Ronald McDonald's cannot accommodate a family of our size, but I will want to be able to see my other children.
</div>
<div><br />
</div>
<div>Living expenses and lost wages: Bedrest will be required for a prolonged period for me, which will lead to the chance that we will need Jon to take time off work to provide support. Donations will help with daily expenses during this time.
</div>
<div><br />
</div>
<div>Ongoing care: Funds will also help with access to follow-up appointments, physical therapy, and other medical supplies and equipment Olivah may need as she grows.
</div>
<div><br />
</div>
<div>How you can help:
</div>
<div><br />
</div>
<div>We understand that not everyone can give financially, and we greatly appreciate your prayers. Any donation amount will make a significant difference. If you can't donate, please share Oliviah's story with others. We have faith that the Lord will help baby Oliviah and our family through this journey. Thank you for taking the time to read Oliviah's story and for any support you can provide during this difficult time. I have also attached verses that I plan to refer back to help me through this difficult time, which I thought might be good for others who are hurting right alongside us. We know we have a long road ahead of us, but we know we are not alone. We also know that Oliviah is loved and cherished and that we will do everything we can to provide her with the best care possible.
</div>
<div><br />
</div>
<div>With love and gratitude,
</div>
<div><br />
</div>
<div>Colleen and Jon King
</div>
<div><br />
</div>
<div>Verses:
</div>
<div><br />
</div>
<div>On self-blame: And his disciples asked him, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?” Jesus answered, “It was not that this man sinned, or his parents, but that the works of God might be displayed in him." (John 9:2-3)
</div>
<div><br />
</div>
<div>Anxiousness: “Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:6-7)
</div>
<div><br />
</div>
<div>Need for strength: "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me" (Philippians 4:13)
</div>
<div><br />
</div>
<div>Hope: “We put our hope in the LORD. He is our help and our shield. In him our hearts rejoice, for we trust in his holy name. Let your unfailing love surround us, LORD, for our hope is in you alone” (Psalm 33:20-22)
</div>
<div><br />
</div>
<div>Need for support: “Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their labor: If either of them falls down, one can help the other up. But pity anyone who falls and has no one to help them up” (Ecclesiastes 4:9-10)
</div>
<div><br />
</div>
<div>In times of trial: Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world’” (John 16:33)
</div>
<div><br />
</div>
<div>God's love: “And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God’s love. Neither death nor life, nor angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow—not even the powers of hell can separate us from God’s love (Romans 8:38)
</div>
<div><br />
</div>
<div>When I feel exhausted: “‘Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light’” (Matthew 11:28-30)
</div>
<div><br />
</div>
<div>Trusting in God's plan: “The heart of man plans his way, but the LORD establishes his steps” (Proverbs 16:9)
</div>

Anonymous

Danielle Kohler

Jade Whitemarsh

Vicki Gamroth

Lisa A Henke

Michele Stanton

Alisa Kramer

Verna Grams

Mary Meyers

Morgan Forbush

Support Oliviah's Fight Against Spina Bifida

platform

Platform is iOS

Android

Adyen Google Pay Development Audience

$opt_dummy_attribute

English only

Deprecate Stripe Legacy

dyn_template_ids

Adyen V6 Bene Transfer & MyMoney Campaign Organizers - test01

Bene transfer V6 and AdyenV6MyMoney Campaign Organizers - production

OneTrust next-app audience

fundCountryCode

NextDoor Share Option Users

Fundraisers with Reactions feature capability

fundCurrencyCode

US + Non-charity COs Only

locale

fund country is US and user language is English

personId

comms-internal-person-ids

Enhanced Story Experience Users

Suggested Goal Experience Users

user language is English and fund country: US, AU, DK, FI, IE, NO, SE, CA, GB; 

Poster share - new funds eligible (newest 9/18)

Streaming widgets beta user

paymentProcessor

3DS payment method

user language is English and fundCountry: US, AU, DK, FI, IE, NO, SE, CA, GB; 

GoFundMe Employees

ipAddress

Mark Rieth IP Address

Version 9.2.0 and above

Fund is in English speaking country

desktop

Android v12.11.0 and above

Platform is Android

paymentMethodType

checkoutType

Payment method type group to be vaulted on success

admin pr kit prod

EUR Donation Upsell

Share Text generation Skip Fundraiser

(prod) new funds eligible for amp12 (UGC gallery)

fintrac_cad_idv_form_v2 audience

paymentProcessorAccountId

fallback mode accounts

proCampaignId

p2p legacy startfundraising page

AMP24 New Funds Only PROD (DO NOT MODIFY)

countryCode

charityId

UKCharities

Federated Search Internal Testing

route.pathname community

US Donation Upsell audience 

Auto Thanks Feature Audience

Supporter Comments Eligible Funds

International Only

fundId

braze fundraiser group 

Payment Identity Transfers ATO Risk Check (Targeted) - Production

Fundraiser Saved Payment Method Rate Limit Bypass (Production)

leaderboard-partner-id-audience-givepanel

Version 9.2.1 and above

AUD Donation Upsell audience

fundraiserCountryCode is US/EN

Active Fundraiser - Smart Default Cadence

DAF Internal

Vault on success card payment method

Platform is iOS v11.0.0 and above

Desktop users

Person ids

United States (US) users

allow yuno fundraisers for test

Mexico country code

Posters INTL

NPO Profile Opted-In

iOS at or above 12.4.0

non-US recurring donors

Canada Campaign Owner Group

Fundraiser Without Meta Link

Scheduler payment tester gorup

charityCommunityId

Charities allow to be claimed unclaimed (PRD)

Canada (CA) users

currencyCode

UC Tipping v20250115 International

pymk_production_xplr_fe_team

Android at or above 12.2.0

Profile photo entry point audience

smart goals (fundraiser/manage) on test01

Activity Tracking v1 Beta Testing

writePath

Stream Notification

start gfm intl allowed locales

Platform is iOS v11.2.0 and above

unclaimed charities

prod_ach_audience

AI Chatbot Audience

amp13 only new funds (prod) (anyword auto)

UC Flow Enabled (Prod)

Payment Identity Beneficiary Verification - Production

shared notification bell audience

Custom users

ach frontend audience

Android v11.0.0 and above

Users Receiving Payments Paused Notifications

smart goals test01

Manage Coach - US English Organizers Only + new funds only

Team EGG - IP Address list

Fundraiser Without Instagram Deep Link

Native 11.4.0 and above

UC Tipping v20250107

Users Receiving Braze KYC Validation Failed

Native 11.3.0 and above

Influencer - Prod

US fundraisers and US users

ai_title_page

anyword

openai

control

manual_entry

userEmail

template_id

userId

fundUrl

isCharityCo

email

appVersion

shouldBucketIntoExperiment

partnerId

donationCadence

isActiveFundraiser

isPartner

isMobile

npoProfileOptIn

fundIsLinkedWithMeta

hasSessionDonation

isCampaignOwner

fundHasInstagramDeepLink

Native 11.4.0 and higher

New funds eligible - Video Sharing (PROD)

GB Donation Upsell audience 

Auto Thanks V3 Rollout Audience

Thank you V3 testing whitelist

isRecurringFriendly

Is Recurring Friendly

Excluded funds - Video Sharing

Logged In Users

CH Donation Upsell audience

Android v10.6.0 and above

userCurrencyCode

Localized Currency

v11.5.0 and above

testAudience

pathname

Survicate

appVersion is at or above 12.8.0

Non-charity fund

isChallengeFundraiser

challenge-fundraisers

Payment Identity Launch Verification - Production

New funds eligible - Posters v2

CAD Donation Upsell Audience

Braze Email Tester

NPO Profile Opted-Out

iOS App Version

hasKnownDonors

PYMK has donors

iOS v12.3.0 and above

Enter your donation forSupport Oliviah's Fight Against Spina Bifida