Supporting the Burgett Family

As many of you now know, in June of this year, Jay was diagnosed with a congenital heart defect called partial anomalous pulmonary venous return (PAPVR). This is a condition he was born with but it had gone undetected until the onset of symptoms earlier this year. After further testing and visits with cardiologists, other heart issues were discovered. Jay also has an enlarged heart and an aortic root aneurysm. Both of these problems were caused by the PAPVR.

Jay will need two procedures to repair both the PAPVR and the aortic root aneurysm. It is rare to discover PAPVR in adulthood. As medicine has advanced, it is now a condition that can be found when in the womb. Thus, it is hard to find a surgeon who has performed this procedure on adults. Jay and Katie have spent many months researching and visiting cardiologists and cardiac surgeons. They recently traveled to Cleveland, Ohio to the Cleveland Clinic where they met with a pediatric cardiac surgeon who has successfully performed the procedures Jay needs to correct his heart issues. They are confident they have found the right place for Jay to be treated.

For those of you who don’t know Jay, he’s a giver at heart. He’s spent his career developing young people in the community through coaching, teaching, and mentoring in Madisonville and now Henderson. Jay, Katie, Reagan, and Tripp are so thankful for the community they’ve built through his association with these programs, their church, and the schools he’s served in. Jay also appreciates all the support he still receives from his hometown of Mayfield and all the people who helped him become the person he is today. The Burgetts are blessed with so many people that have expressed their interest in helping during this difficult time. Normally I’d suggest setting up a meal train to help make this time a bit easier on their family. However, Jay’s surgery and recovery will be extensive and will require Katie and Jay to be out of town for several weeks. In addition to your prayers, and if you feel called to help financially, you can donate on this page to help cover travel, lodging and food expenses during their time away.

The biggest ask, however, is for your continued prayers for the Burgett family. We will be sharing updates on this page as Jay undergoes surgery and recovery. If you’d like to share any words of support, I know that they will lift up Jay, Katie, Reagan, and Tripp in the coming weeks.