My daughter and son in law were sent to Children’s Hospital in Philadelphia when cardiac specialists saw the beginning of congestive heart failure and decided to deliver Allison 8 weeks early. Weighing only two pounds and born with fetal heart block, cardiomyopathy and a cerebral hemorrhage, the prognosis was very grim. As the days turned into weeks and the weeks turned into months, this tiny girl stood toe to toe with some of the best physicians in the nation and happily proved them wrong.

Hours after birth, Allison had open heart surgery in an attempt to repair some of the heart damage and to implant a temporary pacemaker. Five days later a surgeon closed a hole in her heart. In October she had a permanent pacemaker implanted. In November when doctors discovered the tiny capillaries in her eyes were becoming twisted, a result of prolonged time on a ventilator, eye surgery was performed to prevent blindness. In mid December Allison began to breathe on her own for the first time. Following a few weeks of remarkable improvement, Allison was about to be transferred to a local hospital when her heart began to fail.

Along with the discovery of an aneurysm, doctors discovered Allison had Ventricular Septum Defect, a series of holes in the arteries lying deep in the muscle tissue of her heart. In mid February my daughter and son in law received the devastating news that there was nothing more the doctors could do and that Allison's only chance for survival was a heart transplant.

I am thrilled to report that Allison received her new heart on April 19th and for the first time; we have real hope for her future. Despite their own personal grief, another family made the loving decision to donate their own baby’s organs and gave life to Allison.

Allison is growing stronger each day as she continues to recuperate. She is still unable to breathe without the help of a ventilator, and because of her tracheostomy, she is fed through a gastro tube. Her indomitable spirit still shines and she has won the heart of everyone with her big smiles.

I have chosen the services of the National Transplant Assistance Fund (NTAF) to help raise funds for the enormous expenses associated with a heart transplant. NTAF provides both tax deductibility and fiscal accountability and contributors can be sure that funds contributed will be used only to pay for reimbursed medically related expenses.
Special medical equipment, high insurance co-pays and home nursing are only a few of the expenses faced by Allison and her family for the rest of her life. Allison will need another heart transplant before she reaches her teenage years, which is why I have set up this fund.

This is a strong family with an unwavering faith in God and the power of prayer. A donation can't take away the heartbreak and fear this young family has endured but it will ease the way for the difficult times ahead.