On October 15, 2019, Avery Higgins, a beautiful baby girl, was born. She was released from the hospital believed to be a perfectly healthy baby.
When Avery was 8 weeks old, after showing signs of jaundice, she was diagnosed with Biliary Atresia, an extremely rare and life-threatening liver disorder that is detected in only 1 of approximately 12,000 babies every year. When a baby has biliary atresia, bile flow from the liver to the gallbladder is blocked. This causes the bile to be trapped inside the liver, quickly causing damage and scarring of the liver cells (cirrhosis, and eventually liver failure).
Just days after the diagnosis, Avery had gone through a high risk 6-hour surgery called Kasai Procedure. The Kasai procedure is not a cure, but when successful, can often buy the baby a limited amount of time until the point when a liver transplant is required and available. While her parents, Bryan and Kaitlyn, painfully await next steps, Avery is at risk for a number of very serious infections that often follow the Kasai Procedure, some of which can be fatal if not detected and treated within hours of first symptoms.
On top of the heart-breaking realization of Avery’s critical condition, with the high cost of her long-term antibiotic therapy and medical care, Bryan and Kaitlyn are facing an enormous financial burden.
While your donations will help lift some of the financial burden, your prayers and support will be priceless.
Thank you, from Avery’s loving family.
When Avery was 8 weeks old, after showing signs of jaundice, she was diagnosed with Biliary Atresia, an extremely rare and life-threatening liver disorder that is detected in only 1 of approximately 12,000 babies every year. When a baby has biliary atresia, bile flow from the liver to the gallbladder is blocked. This causes the bile to be trapped inside the liver, quickly causing damage and scarring of the liver cells (cirrhosis, and eventually liver failure).
Just days after the diagnosis, Avery had gone through a high risk 6-hour surgery called Kasai Procedure. The Kasai procedure is not a cure, but when successful, can often buy the baby a limited amount of time until the point when a liver transplant is required and available. While her parents, Bryan and Kaitlyn, painfully await next steps, Avery is at risk for a number of very serious infections that often follow the Kasai Procedure, some of which can be fatal if not detected and treated within hours of first symptoms.
On top of the heart-breaking realization of Avery’s critical condition, with the high cost of her long-term antibiotic therapy and medical care, Bryan and Kaitlyn are facing an enormous financial burden.
While your donations will help lift some of the financial burden, your prayers and support will be priceless.
Thank you, from Avery’s loving family.