Little Ava's Heart Transplant Fund
Donation protected
Ava First Day Of School, September 2016
Ava and her sister Cat with Mrs. Claus
Cat and Ava with Santa Claus
The beginning of a l o n g journey!
The day she was put on the ECMO machine
Thank you Laura Lee from: www.kaaltv.com for Ava's biggest birthday gift by coming to Ava's birthday to do her story!!!
http://www.kaaltv.com/news/rochester-mayo-clinic-ava-heart/4586344/?cat=10151
Hello Friends...
My name is Michelle and I would like for you to meet 3 1/2 year old A v a Lengsavath who is desperately waiting for a h e a r t transplant at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, MN.
Two weeks leading up to her diagnosis, Ava started to have d i f f i c u l t y walking due to being very fatigue. During this time, her parents noticed that her s t o m a c h was more swollen than usual and her mood c h a n g e d. Ava went from being a social and happy little girl to detaching herself from family and friends. On December 23, 2016 she was admitted into the ER at the Children's Hospital in St. Paul and was diagnosed with Restrictive Cardiomyopathy & Diastolic Heart Failure. The ventricles of her heart expanded and filled with blood which means her heart can't pump blood properly. It usually leads to heart failure. Ava was then immediately transported to the Minneapolis Children's Hospital. The next day, doctors did a biopsy on her heart, MRI's, CT Scans, Echogram and blood work. Her diagnosis was c o n f i r m e d - Restrictive Cardiomyopathy. She was discharged from the hospital a few d a y s later. While home, she suffered a s t r o k e and lost the use of her left arm and leg. With e x t e n s i v e physical therapy, they will try and r e s t o r e movement, but the doctors think the transplant will help regain strength better.
After receiving treatment at the Minneapolis Children's Hospital, she was given a heart specialist and was referred to the Mayo Clinic. On May 10, 2017, her heart was filling up too much so the doctors put her on an ECMO machine. She will need to s t a y on it until she receives a new h e a r t.
At the time of Ava's d i a g n o s i s , Cat ( Ava's older sister ) had been saving up for a Disney Cruise . Cat gave a l l of her money from her p i g g y b a n k to her mother (about $50) and said, “Here's the money I saved for Disney. You don't have to work. I just want Ava to be s a f e and well!” Cat has been staying at the hospital from Friday to Sunday. The day she has to go back home for school, she has a VERY hard time. Her father works while her mother stays with Ava full-time. An aunt , who is also battling stage 4 l u n g c a n c e r, stays with them and takes care of Cat while her parents take care of Ava.
According to the doctors, the a v e r a g e expenses for the first year of treatment can be about $500,000 or more! When and IF she receives a new h e a r t, she will need to take medication for the rest of her life to maintain a h e a l t h y heart. She will not be able to skip even O N E dosage! The new heart will last between 5-20 years depending on its strength. Meaning she will most likely receive a few more heart transplants!
I have a son here who is a Stem Cell patient and is in the pediatric wing so I was able to m e e t Ava and her family. With us being here for about two years, I was able to connect with the family and show some understanding. I mentioned the GoFundMe program and they had no idea there was a way to get some help. From one family to another, we would like to s h a r e this and give others the opportunity to help them. Little Ava has a V E R Y long road ahead of her. Her journey has just begun! We are asking for your help to a l l e v i a t e any medical costs necessary to give this beautiful little girl a chance at a n o r m a l and healthy life! Thanks in advance for being a part of this journey with us!
L o v e . . .
Michelle Fisher
Ava and her sister Cat with Mrs. Claus
Cat and Ava with Santa Claus
The beginning of a l o n g journey!
The day she was put on the ECMO machineThank you Laura Lee from: www.kaaltv.com for Ava's biggest birthday gift by coming to Ava's birthday to do her story!!!
http://www.kaaltv.com/news/rochester-mayo-clinic-ava-heart/4586344/?cat=10151
Hello Friends...
My name is Michelle and I would like for you to meet 3 1/2 year old A v a Lengsavath who is desperately waiting for a h e a r t transplant at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, MN.
Two weeks leading up to her diagnosis, Ava started to have d i f f i c u l t y walking due to being very fatigue. During this time, her parents noticed that her s t o m a c h was more swollen than usual and her mood c h a n g e d. Ava went from being a social and happy little girl to detaching herself from family and friends. On December 23, 2016 she was admitted into the ER at the Children's Hospital in St. Paul and was diagnosed with Restrictive Cardiomyopathy & Diastolic Heart Failure. The ventricles of her heart expanded and filled with blood which means her heart can't pump blood properly. It usually leads to heart failure. Ava was then immediately transported to the Minneapolis Children's Hospital. The next day, doctors did a biopsy on her heart, MRI's, CT Scans, Echogram and blood work. Her diagnosis was c o n f i r m e d - Restrictive Cardiomyopathy. She was discharged from the hospital a few d a y s later. While home, she suffered a s t r o k e and lost the use of her left arm and leg. With e x t e n s i v e physical therapy, they will try and r e s t o r e movement, but the doctors think the transplant will help regain strength better.
After receiving treatment at the Minneapolis Children's Hospital, she was given a heart specialist and was referred to the Mayo Clinic. On May 10, 2017, her heart was filling up too much so the doctors put her on an ECMO machine. She will need to s t a y on it until she receives a new h e a r t.
At the time of Ava's d i a g n o s i s , Cat ( Ava's older sister ) had been saving up for a Disney Cruise . Cat gave a l l of her money from her p i g g y b a n k to her mother (about $50) and said, “Here's the money I saved for Disney. You don't have to work. I just want Ava to be s a f e and well!” Cat has been staying at the hospital from Friday to Sunday. The day she has to go back home for school, she has a VERY hard time. Her father works while her mother stays with Ava full-time. An aunt , who is also battling stage 4 l u n g c a n c e r, stays with them and takes care of Cat while her parents take care of Ava.
According to the doctors, the a v e r a g e expenses for the first year of treatment can be about $500,000 or more! When and IF she receives a new h e a r t, she will need to take medication for the rest of her life to maintain a h e a l t h y heart. She will not be able to skip even O N E dosage! The new heart will last between 5-20 years depending on its strength. Meaning she will most likely receive a few more heart transplants!
I have a son here who is a Stem Cell patient and is in the pediatric wing so I was able to m e e t Ava and her family. With us being here for about two years, I was able to connect with the family and show some understanding. I mentioned the GoFundMe program and they had no idea there was a way to get some help. From one family to another, we would like to s h a r e this and give others the opportunity to help them. Little Ava has a V E R Y long road ahead of her. Her journey has just begun! We are asking for your help to a l l e v i a t e any medical costs necessary to give this beautiful little girl a chance at a n o r m a l and healthy life! Thanks in advance for being a part of this journey with us!
L o v e . . .
Michelle Fisher
Organizer and beneficiary
Ava Heart Transplant
Organizer
San Francisco, CA
Tippi Lengsavath Goodwin
Beneficiary
