Hello! We are Jess & David, Catalina's parents. Catalina was born premature on 9/30/2023 at 27 weeks. Her miracle story began long before then as the waters broke at 15 weeks and we were given a 2-5% chance of survival as most babies would deliver within a week of this happening. We thankfully made it past that week, but the amniotic fluid never returned and remained at low levels through the rest of the pregnancy. This would cause Catalina to have growth delays and poor lung development. At 24 weeks of pregnancy, Jess was admitted to HCA Brandon Hospital for 24/7 monitoring as there was a risk of Catalina being born imminently. Catalina was able to hold on for 3 weeks and was then born at 760grams (1 lb, 10.8 oz) - she was smaller than a ruler. As the doctors suspected, her lungs were not properly developed at birth, even having the left one collapsed. After 2 weeks of care and intervention Catalina was able to be extubated and put on non-invasive respiratory support. During the first week of her arrival we were given more tough news. Catalina had a cerebral hemorrhage affecting both sides of her brain. This would lead her to be transferred to John Hopkins Children's Hospital 2 weeks after birth for treatment of her developing hydrocephalus due to the brain bleed. She has since undergone two brain surgeries to insert a shunt to relieve the pressure to enable her to continue to grow and develop.

Catalina’s medical journey did not end with her NICU stay of 112 days as she has required ongoing medical support and extensive therapies. Since our last update, we’ve continued doing everything we can to give Cata the best opportunities to learn, grow, and become more independent. She has now completed more than 800 hours of specialized therapies, and watching her make progress that once seemed unimaginable has reinforced just how much we want to keep exploring every possibility for her future.

After extensive research, we’re pursuing an experimental stem cell treatment available outside the United States. This treatment has shown promising results for children with brain injuries, and we’re hopeful it could open new doors for Cata. Early childhood is an important window for brain development, and we want to give her every opportunity to benefit from advancements in science. While no outcome is guaranteed, we believe the potential is worth exploring.

The treatment alone is estimated to cost $15,000 out of pocket, not including travel and lodging, and it is not covered by insurance. That’s why we’re asking our community to help us reach this new goal.

On October 24, we’ll be hosting a fundraiser with a yard sale, food, games, and a cake celebration for Cata as she just celebrated her 3rd birthday. Every donation, purchase, and share brings us one step closer.

If you know Cata, you know she is so much more than her medical history. She is a joyful, funny, determined little girl who has already surprised so many people. We want to keep giving her chances to continue surprising everyone.

Please consider donating or sharing her story. Every contribution, no matter the size, helps us get closer to giving Cata this opportunity.

Thank you for continuing to stand beside our family, believe in Cata, and help us fight for every possibility her future may hold. We truly couldn’t do this without you.