Three-year-old Kyleigh has been through nine surgeries and needs help with just months to live
You can help her by making a donation...
As a parent, there are many ups and downs that you will experience. You could never imagine how life would change after becoming a parent, yet you have this abundant sense of love for this human, who can literally push your buttons in the most consistent of ways.
More than anything, this little human becomes your strength and your weakness all in one go. Your strength in that they motivate you to push for all things better, and weakness in that when they are ill or upset your whole mood and psyche crashes.
But you have to hold it together, you have to push past the feeling of wanting to cry and be sad, you have to show them that as much as they are your teacher, you can be their protector and guide too. We can only assume that this is what the Kista parents are trying to do right now.
Serina and Gerald Kista have the most precious baby girl, and at a mere three-years-old, she has already undergone nine surgeries and is in need of open heart surgery to survive her condition.
"She struggles to get rich, oxygenated blood to circulate through her body because she was born with an absent pulmonary valve, underdeveloped arteries and a large hole in her heart. Currently, Kyleigh survives on two collateral arteries, which is her main source of blood circulation." (News24)
After trying to find the best way forward from several doctors, they eventually sought out guidance from the Boston Children's Hospital in the USA. They received the news last week that they would need $295,761 [R4.7-million] for the open heart surgery.
Of course they were in shock about the total, but more than that, after trying to work out the selling of assets to make up the money, they were still coming up short. Now that is a feeling that no parent should have to feel, that feeling of not being able to help your child.
In saying that, we love that these parents are willing to push to give their baby girl a fighting chance. "Kista resorted to starting a crowdfunding campaign on Backabuddy, where she asked people to help raise funds for Kyleigh's surgery." (News24)
So far, we have raised R250 000 from the campaign and our family and friends have also been very supportive. However, some of our friends have told us that some people did not believe that the story was real, given the large amount we were asking for.
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This mother and father who just want to help their baby girl are trying everything in their power to get the money they need for the operation. Kyleigh's condition is time sensitive and that is why there is such an urgency to the raising of the funds.
Mom, Serina, shared that even on the days when Kyleigh is not feeling well, she is still able to check in on her mother and be encouraging.
She has been so brave through the journey. She understands that she is sick, even on the days that I am feeling at my lowest, she encourages me, and says, 'mommy don't be sad, I will be okay.
We cannot imagine what this family must be going through, but we hope that they experience a holiday miracle. If you can and you are able, you can donate to little Kyleigh's surgery on her Backabuddy page.
Image Courtesy of Facebook