Aid for Baby Amelia's Life-Saving Surgery

My name is Danielle Ramos, it is with a heavy heart and unyielding hope that I write this on behalf of my cousins Jack and Jordan Bugg, new parents who were told at a routine scan that their unborn daughter, Amelia, has a Congenital Heart Defect (CHD) called Transposition of the Great Arteries (TGA). TGA is a condition in which the two main arteries in the heart, the Aorta and the Pulmonary Artery, are switched in position, pumping her blood in the wrong direction and after birth, will cause there to not be enough oxygen flowing in her body and to her organs, including her brain. Immediately after birth, Amelia will be taken to the NICU where she will begin a vigorous regimen of care to keep her ducts open and mix the types of blood in her heart, allowing just enough oxygen for her to get through until she is healthy enough to receive open heart surgery, which typically takes place in the first two weeks of life. She will receive an Arterial Switch Operation (ASO) to attach her arteries to the correct valves, allowing her heart to pump blood correctly. She will spend approximately 2 to 4 more weeks in the CVICU to recover, where staff can closely monitor for any surgical complications, and assist in getting her ready to come home, weaning her off of oxygen and a feeding tube. The hope is that after her surgery, she is able to live a happy, normal life.

The Buggs are planning to get her care done at Boston Children’s Hospital, where they are top rated in the country for Pediatric Cardiology and Cardiac Surgery, and have an excellent Neonatal care center. They are expecting to move to Boston two weeks before Amelia’s due date to prepare for delivery and work closely with the cardiology and NICU teams, and are expecting to spend another month there post-birth while Amelia receives her lifesaving care. While this is the best case scenario and what we are all praying for, we do know that with her age, diagnosis, and going through a major surgery, complications can happen to prolong their stay in the hospital.

Jack and Jordan both work full time, Jack as a local carpentry business owner, and Jordan as a manager for a national nonprofit organization. They have both dedicated major parts of their life to giving back to the community, volunteering and donating their time to several different causes. They never expected to now need help within their own family. During the expected 6 weeks in Boston, they will need assistance covering expenses for accommodations, Amelia’s medical expenses for her NICU stay and heart surgery, as well as time off for Jack, who planned to only need a few weeks off from his business to bond with their newborn. Although we expect that Amelia will only need one surgery, she will need follow up care for the rest of her life, which in some cases can require further heart surgeries. Any contributions are deeply appreciated to help them get through this time, and leftover funds will be put into a health savings for Amelia’s future care.

Thank you.