Support Waylan Stanner's Urgent Brain Surgery

My name is Heather Mitchell, and I am a friend of the Stanner Family. Several people have been reaching out asking if we had a GoFundMe set up for Waylan, so I would love to help the family as much as possible through this trying time.

Waylan Stanner is 7 years old and in 2nd grade. Last year, in October 2023, he became really sick, suffering with a mystery illness for some time. He was in and out of the hospital, seeing specialist after specialist when they were told that his ANA was positive. They believe that he had a malignancy. He went through endoscopy, colonoscopy, multiple CT scans, multiple MRIs where he had to be put under. While going through all the testing, they found a Chiari malformation and the spacing at the top of his brain was decreased. The neurosurgeon said surgery needed to be done but he could not touch him with his labs being like they were and not knowing if and where the malignancy was. So once his labs normalized, he went back to the neurosurgeon where he sent them to get a second opinion to make sure the surgery is necessary. They confirmed that surgery is necessary because it's affecting his eyes and they are extremely worried about him having a growth spurt where the spinal fluid gets blocked and can't go through which could cause him to be blind, especially since it's already affecting his eyes. So, brain decompression surgery is scheduled for September 5th, two days before his 8th birthday. They are cutting him from ear to ear, putting in a device and screws that will come out of the side of his head that they will have to adjust for 6 to 8 weeks depending on bone growth where he will remain in the hospital for 3 weeks straight. He will be in ICU for 3 to 4 days which means he will be in ICU on his actual birthday. Once there is enough bone growth, they will go back in for surgery number 2. Also, just when they thought he was having a normal school year returning to school, he is going to be pulled again for hospital homebound. This is supposed to be a 3 to 4 month process so I would love to help the family as much as possible.

There will be lots of missed days at work and both parents can't apply for FMLA because they haven't been with their employer for a year. All of the medical expenses that he has already had and the new ones they will encounter. The extra expenses for gas and tolls back and forth from the hospital. They have a total of 4 children, one is a senior and the parents feel like she is getting the raw end of her senior year because they have to focus more on Waylan. One reason is because her senior homecoming dance is the weekend of his surgery and he will still be in ICU. They have a sophomore in high school and then a 6th grader. My family has known them for a long time and we hate that they're going through this because they are a very generous family that would do anything for anyone. Even in these trying times, they have taken an extra family in so they have a huge heart and we would love to help them in any way that we can. So we just want to show this family how much we love and care for them. I want them to have all the support needed when going through this very trying time.