Xyla my God daughter who’s birthday is tomorrow August 9th will be turning 11yrs, is a brilliant, beautiful, kind, loving and caring girl, was born at 26 weeks, weighing 1lb. 11oz., and was very healthy. Two weeks after she was born, she had to get life flown to Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh, where her mom was told she developed a condition called Necrotizing Enterocolitis known as NEC. NEC is a life-threatening disease that causes inflammation and tissue death in the intestines of premature or sick infants. Xyla was given blood transfusions and meds to help “pinken up” her small intestines. Her mom was told if it did not work that she would have to let her “go”. By the grace of God, there was a doctor by the name of Dr. Bond that was on duty that night. Dr. Bond is a part of the transplant and intestinal care team. He told me due to her being so healthy two weeks prior and her technically still being “stable” with everything going on that he can do a life-threatening surgery to try and save her. At that point her mom was told she may have to let her go in some hours, so she chose to go with the surgery and that was the best decision she’s ever made. Surgery lasted for hours and it was successful. Her entire small intestines along with her gallbladder. A g-tube was placed and a central line (picc line) for her to be able to receive nutrients and fats. Her mom has to hook Xyla up every day to Total Parenteral Nutrition (TPN) through her line. Her mom was told that Xyla has to be on TPN for 24 hours for the rest of her life until she got a transplant. Xyla is listed as a status 1 for a small bowel transplant and as of today (August 8th 2025) she will be getting her transplant. Xyla has come a long way, and she now only has to be hooked up to her TPN for 8 hours a day. Within her 11 years of life, she has had numerous surgeries from getting multiple Central/Picc lines, having compartment syndrome in her leg at 10 weeks old, to teeth removal due to decay from lack of proper nutrients, g-tube removal, etc… When Xyla gets this transplant, she will be able to live a normal and healthy life and go swimming, take normal baths and showers like she has dreamt of for years. Xyla and her family has been through a big journey to get where they are today, and they are going to have to go through an even bigger one once she gets the transplant. The funds will be used to cover medical cost, transportation, food etc.