Baby Harmon’s HLHS Journey

Kaitlyn and Phillip have been excitedly expecting their first born baby this summer. They’ve been picking out his name, decorating the nursery, and planning their new life as a family of 3. They cannot wait to welcome baby Zachary Steven into the world.

Everything was as it should be until a routine OB/GYN scan would change their lives forever. They were only told that there was something unusual and were sent to see a Maternal Fetal Medicine specialist. It was at that point they received the earth-shattering news that their precious baby boy will be born without the left side of his heart.

An emergent visit to a top specialist in the field of pediatric cardiothoracic surgery confirmed the extremely rare, and many times fatal, diagnosis of HLHS, or hypoplastic left heart syndrome. At that visit they found that that in order to live, their baby would have to undergo a series of 3 complex open-heart surgeries at the age of 1 week, 3-5 months, and 3-5 years old. These surgeries, if successful, will allow him to live a normal, healthy life with only half of a heart.

There are risks to this that no parent should ever have to consider. There are many possible complications that he could face, and these possibilities are daunting, to say the least. This situation is so extreme that Kaitlyn will have to leave her job to care for him full time. There is no moment too tiny that would be worth missing of his life, particularly through this very intense first year.

I’m starting this GoFundMe to see what can be done to help support Kaity and Phil at this time. Any amount will help, and no donation is too small. We all appreciate you taking the time to read their story, and hope you prayerfully follow the progress as it unfolds. We will be diligent in updating as we prepare for and face this monumental endeavor before us.

We cannot wait to meet baby Zachary, and enjoy watching him grow up and thrive like any child deserves. We want a future where little Zach skins his knees, plays games, makes a little trouble, and laughs and laughs. He is already so loved!