Please help Jolene through the fight of her life.

Jolene Amy is 5 months old and currently fighting for her life in BC Children's Hospital after severe complications from heart surgery. Her parents, Stacy and Wes, have been by her side since this medical journey began two months ago. In addition to watching their beautiful daughter go through things no child should go through, they are also beginning to feel the pinch of lost wages and travel expenses as they remain in Vancouver with no expectation of leaving any time soon. Please, send any prayers, love, and positive thoughts that you can—and if you are willing and able to donate financially, please consider doing so here. I’ll share a little more of her story below.

On July 22, 2014, Stacy and Wes were blessed with a second beautiful little girl, who came with a little extra to love. Jolene was born with an extra chromosome, called Trisomy 21, or Downs Syndrome. Unfortunately, Jolene was also born with a heart condition that would require surgery around the 4 month mark. From the start, this little girl stole hearts wherever she went—especially her big sister Haven’s! In late November, Jolene's health started to decline, as the doctors anticipated it would. Jolene was admitted to Penticton hospital to be put on oxygen support, and her battle began. Jolene and her parents were shuffled back and forth between Vancouver and Penticton as Jolene’s medical team tried to come up with a plan. Just as it looked like her heart surgery might proceed, Jolene came down with a rhinovirus, making her too ill for the surgery. Once again, Jolene was sent back to Penticton, where she spent Christmas recovering from the virus and gaining strength for the surgery. Finally, on January 5, 2015, Jolene underwent her heart surgery in Vancouver. The surgeon was satisfied with how the procedure went and things looked good for Jo. Unfortunately, she took a turn for the worse the next day and suffered a cardiac arrest in a scene that no parents should ever see. The medical team was able to resuscitate her, but more problems began surfacing. Thankfully, there was no brain damage resulting from the cardiac arrest, but her other organs were failing—her lungs, liver, and kidneys. She is currently relying on a lot of machines to keep her organs functioning as her body tries to stabilize, and the doctors have told Stacy and Wes to prepare for the long haul.

Her parents, Stacy and Wes Amy, are the best kind of people you’ll ever hope to know. They have been at her bedside day in and day out, helping with her care where they can. Jolene’s big sister, Haven, is with her Grandparents in Kamloops. Stacy is currently on maternity leave, and Wes has been off work since November. Please, send them some moral support—prayers, love, thoughts. And, if you can, please consider sending a financial contribution. Any little bit helps. If you know Stacy and Wes, then you know that once this storm passes, they will pay it forward, in so many ways.