Thierry's Heart Transplant

My son Thierry was born with a rare congenital heart defect, Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome. When he was born, he was immediately transferred to Children's National. When he was 4 days old, he underwent his first of 3 open heart surgeries. After his third surgery, right before his second birthday, we were hopeful that for all intents and purposes, his condition was fixed to the best that it could be. However, less than a year later he developed a rare side effect associated with his last surgery, the Fontan procedure. He developed a condition called Protein Losing Enteropathy. He was losing serum protein from his blood. This condition is very life threatening if it is unable to be controlled by medication. Since he was diagnosed, Thierry has taken many medications to control this condition. This has included many stays in the hospital to infuse these serum proteins and electrolytes back into his body. 



For a few years, it has been harder and harder to control his Protein Losing Enteropathy medically. Thierry was evaluated for heart transplant 3 years ago and was denied. However, this year, after being evaluated again, his doctor's at Texas Children's Hospital approved him because of their inability to control his condition any longer. We knew that eventually with PLE, the only thing that would cure it would be transplant. However, we now need to relocate in order for him to be listed for transplant. Once Thierry receives the heart transplant, he will need to be on many new medications, that unfortunately are quite costly, in order to ensure that his body does not reject the new heart. 



With this money, we will be able to relocate in order to be listed on the transplant list. After his transplant, this money will ensure that he is able to receive the medications that he will need to continue taking for the rest of his life. With transplant, every minute counts. His situation is urgent because every month, week, day that he is not listed, it is potentially a missed opportunity. To be approved for heart transplant has been the biggest blessing. Thierry has been given another chance at life, to live, grow, learn, and to change the world. He has been given the opportunity to grow next to his brothers, play, laugh and giggle, draw and write, even help cook and bake. He is incredibly smart, vivacious, and a force to be reckoned with. He will now have the chance he deserves to be everything that he was meant to be. Please help us make this heart transplant happen and be successful. Please help to give Thierry a fighting chance for a long, healthy, and happy life.