Support the Beasley Family During DeDe’s Open-Heart Surgery

Dear family, friends, and kind-hearted folks,

A very brave little girl needs your support. Doris “DeDe” Beasley, daughter of Carson and Morgan (Merritt) Beasley, is scheduled for open-heart surgery on January 22nd, 2025, at University of Maryland Medical Center. DeDe, now 2.5 years old, was born with a congenital heart disease (PDA, ASD, and Severe Aortic Valve Stenosis) and it was understood early on that she would one day need open-heart surgery. At six months of age, DeDe underwent a balloon valvuloplasty (cardiac catheterization procedure) to delay surgical intervention for as long as possible to allow her heart to grow bigger.

The balloon valvuloplasty was successful, and DeDe’s team has been closely monitoring her heart with monthly EKGs and ECHOs. Recently, tests have shown that DeDe’s cardiac function is steadily worsening due to severe aortic regurgitation, and she will need open-heart surgery (Ross-Konno procedure) to prevent heart failure much sooner than anyone hoped. During the Ross-Konno procedure, the surgeon will replace DeDe’s aortic valve using her own pulmonary valve, while simultaneously reconstructing the left ventricular outflow tract, and replace her pulmonary valve with a conduit (homografts).

This surgery comes with risks and a long recovery for sweet DeDe. It’s estimated that she will need at least 14 days in the PICU post-op. The Beasley’s are on a lengthy wait list for the Ronald McDonald House and the hospital is nearly an hour from their home without traffic. Only one parent is allowed to stay at DeDe’s bedside overnight, so hotel stays will be essential, especially in the early days post-op, so both of DeDe’s parents (and potentially other family members) can be close by.

The Beasley’s also have three boys (Lucas, 9, James, 5, and Oliver, 4), who will need care while their parents are at the hospital with DeDe. While loved ones are mobilizing to support the Beasley’s during this stressful and scary time, they are still geographically isolated from most of their family, with all relatives living out of state. Meals in the hospital and for the boys and their caregivers at home, gas to and from the hospital, parking, hotel stays, and other essentials will add up fast, making it hard for this young family to cover the daily costs associated with DeDe’s hospital stay, which we estimate will reach or surpass $5,000.

Please help us wrap the Beasley family in love and support by giving what you can, sharing this fundraiser wherever possible, and holding DeDe and the Beasley family in your thoughts and prayers.

This fundraiser was organized with love by DeDe’s maternal grandmother, Lee (Mashewske) Merrit, maternal great-aunts Lisa (Mashewske) Cincotta, Linda (Mashewske) Ryan, and Loree (Mashewske) Martin, and first cousin once removed, Tara (Martin) Shibbani.