Baby Harris life saving open heart surgery

$5,173 donated

Given by 141 generous donors in one year

Lets support Claudia and Ken Harris as they prepare for the arrival of their first baby and under go lifesaving open heart surgery.

Auckland

On the 1st of February 2020 Claudia and Ken got the exciting news that they are pregnant and expecting their first baby together. Due date is October 6th 2020 and they are excited to be expecting a girl as well !

Unfortunately, at their 20 week scan Claudia and Ken received the devastating news that their baby girl has a congenital heart defect known as Transposition of the Great Arteries (TGA). In a simple explanation, the two arteries that carry blood from the heart to the lungs and body aren't connected as they should be they are reversed. Luckily, there is a surgical correction that can realign the correct arteries to the correct place which has a relatively high success rate but is still a major operation on a week old new born baby.

The surgery takes 12 hours from start to finish, during the surgery the heart is stopped and placed onto a heart-lung machine which injects oxygen into the blood and is delivering the blood to the body and brain. During this time when the heart is stopped, is when the surgeon repairs the defect by correcting the arteries.

Before and after the surgery Claudia, Ken and their new born baby girl will be spending an extended amount of time in Auckland Hospital NICU/PICU while their baby recovers and is monitored.

Throughout this there will be ongoing costs - medical appointments, travel and accommodation. Claudia and Ken will both need to take time off work so any financial support we can give will help to ease the burden. Ken will be having the first 5 weeks off work to be with Claudia and their baby at the hospital.

No first time parents should have to go through such a stressful and upsetting time and these guys need all the love and support we can give them over the coming months. Please donate and share - spread the word so together we can help to make things a little bit easier for Claudia and Ken.

For more about TGA head over to this link https://www.stanfordchildrens.org/en/topic/default?id=transposition-of-the-great-arteries-tga-90-P01823

Taylor Barclay's involvement (page creator)

Claudia & Ken are good friends of mine and I would like to spread awareness and help them in their time of need

Use of funds

Funds will help cover bills, rent while they are in the hospital, travel, food expenses & parking at the hospital, will help with some follow up appointments that aren't funded. Any left over money that is unused will be donated to the child heart foundation.

Full Update 16 November 2020

Posted by: Claudia Harris

Thank you everyone for your donations and message of aroha and support ! Sophia Rose Harris entered this beautiful on 10th October 2020 @ 6:57am.

She was born wit Transpotion of the Great Arteries (TGA) and she was also born with Atrial septal defect (ASD) which was unknown till she was born. she has successfully had her balloon operation and successfully had her open heart surgery which took 10 hours!!!! it was the most scariest and nerve wrecking 10 hours of our life.

Unfortunately one week after her major open heart surgery Sophia developed a very bad and serious wound infection which was affecting the tissue around her wound and the fatty tissue near her heart! luckily we caught it fairly early. However this infection caused Sophia to undergo another 2 surgeries. One surgery to put a central line in her neck to be able to give her IV antibiotics, she was on IV antibiotics for 4 days before our cardiac surgeon made the decision to reopen her chest and do a full wound clean out.

Sophia is doing so well on her recovery now and is gaining weight now, she is such a princess warrior ! We are very proud parents.

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