My neighbor’s daughter has struggled since birth with AVSD (Atrial-Ventricular Septal Defect) DORV (Double Outlet Right Ventricle) and Tetralogy of Fallot. Her need for future surgeries continues. Luckily in Canada her medical care is mostly covered but the cost for the family to travel to Toronto and stay downtown is not. As we all know, hotels downtown Toronto and meals do not come on the cheap. Often they need to stay for more than a week and this adds up considerably. There budget for this is exhausted and they now need some assistance.

How to Help

There is a Motorcycle Ride for HOPE on Saturday, August 23, 2014 in Russell, Ontario. To ride for HOPE please see www.hoperide.ca

If you have a motorcycle or scooter club and would like to organize your own ride for hope, please  contact me at peter.sanderson@outlook.com for further information.

If you would be so kind to help by s simple donation you can donate at www.hoperide.ca via PayPal or by sending a check Payable to:

• Natalie Smith and Michael Kir
• 612 Loucks Dr.  Russell, Ontario, Canada K4R 1B7
• Please add in Subject Support for Madison – (Riding Adventures)

The Story

 

Her parents Natalie Smith and Michael Kir provided me with this…

Madison “Madi” Kirk wrote this after she was diagnosed: “I was scared and sad. I’m only 7 years old. Having type 1 juvenile diabetes isn’t fun. I have to have shots and prick one of my fingers every couple hours. Every second of every day I worry that I may experience hypoglycemia or hyperglycemia, and end up back in the hospital.” Madi had open heart surgery on February 4, 2014 …

Our daughter Madison was born with Complex Congenital Heart Defects, namely AVSD (Atrial-Ventricular Septal Defect) DORV (Double Outlet Right Ventricle) and Tetralogy of Fallot. Born on the 13th of March 2008, she was hospitalized two months later for a procedure. At three months, she was again hospitalized this time for a shunt operation which she had to have her chest opened and then re-opened for open heart surgery at 8 months old. The open heart was terribly complicated and brought an array of secondary complications that she had suffered through. She suffered a stroke, atrophy of the brain, two pulmonary haemorrhages, stomach haemorrhage, liver failure, kidney failure, necrotizing colitis, multiple clots, multiple blood transfusions, thrombosis of the lungs, hypertension, leaving her oxygen dependant and tub fed for a year following surgery ☹ She was on life support for 5 days, had an open sternum for 5 weeks, was on a breathing machine for 61 days, in the ICU for 72 days and hospitalized for 4 ½ months… She IS a MIRACLE!!

Madison is a beautiful, gentle and loving little angle that now requires another open heart procedure in the spring ☹ She has blockage in the left side of her heart, her Mitral valve needs to be replaced and she requires a pulmonary valve implant. This will be done at the Sick Kids hospital in Toronto… Our family has been through a lot with Madi yet nothing compared to what she has to endure. However the added financial strain causes even more difficulty for our family to manage and cope with the entire unfortunate and uncontrollable situation. An example of our last appointment run to Toronto ran us to a sum of nearly $500 with gas, parking, food and hotel stay. This upcoming surgery will require time off, lodging for three to four weeks, medical equipment, parking passes, gas, etc… We have other children which we need to accommodate with travel and food as well… Any contribution that can be made to help better Madison and our situation is quite welcome, most appreciated and most of all cherished! Thank you kindly for your support.