I ride to help support and advance the care of children like Ellery. I will be participating in the full ride on Saturday and my whole family will be joining me to ride, in honor of Ellery, during the family ride on Sunday!
Here are a couple words from Ellery's parents :
"The Lord blessed our family with Ellery’s arrival in rural Nebraska on September 1, 2024. She was immediately flown to Denver, where we learned about her genetic condition, digeorge syndrome, as well as her associated heart condition: tetralogy of fallot, pulmonary atresia, and MAPCAs. Nine months later, she has spent all but two months of her life hospitalized. She underwent her first open heart surgery on April 15th, when Dr. Jaggers focused on unifocalizing her MAPCAs. Her recovery has been long and slow with a number of setbacks including: arrhythmia, lung collapse, sepsis and other bacterial infections. Ellery also has tracheobronchomalacia, further complicating her health. As this is written, she remains in the CICU, as we continue to test her tolerance of less and less respiratory support. Ellery will require a second open heart surgery, perhaps within the year, that will allow her heart to function more normally. We are told to expect many other surgeries and procedures related to her heart throughout her life. I can not put into words how grateful I am for the doctors, nurses, and therapists (respiratory, physical, occupational, speech, and music) in the heart institute. These individuals truly care about their patients and over the months, they have become my friends. They celebrate with us in our victories and empathize in our setbacks. Without their love and attention, we would not still have Ellery with us on this side of heaven. So though people will call our sweet baby a heart warrior, I believe the true warriors are the ones on the other side of the stethoscope. On behalf of Ellery, we thank you!"
Your donation to the courage classic will help support research, education and quality improvement initiatives focused on decreasing mortality and improving the outcomes and quality of life of patients with CHD. It will also go toward programs that help support our families as they navigate this emotionally and physically stressful journey.
