Walt The TCS Warrior

Meet Baby Panda❤️ This sweet boy is due October 2, 2018 and will be Jeff and Phoebe’s first! We have a habit of nicknaming our babies in this family before the gender is known, and “Panda” immediately stuck for this little guy. While Panda is still safe in his Mommy’s tummy - his family is preparing for his arrival. During Phoebe’s 20 week anatomy ultrasound there were some irregular results and measurements that needed to be investigated further. After 10 weeks of monitoring and additional testing/imaging Phoebe and Jeff learned that Panda has a rare genetic disorder called Treacher Collins Syndrome. This means that Panda will be born with severe cranial/facial abnormalities that can affect numerous functions such as vision and hearing as well as a missing or deformed palette, among other things. We may not know the full extent of Panda’s abnormalities until he is born, but one thing is for sure — this little boy could not be loved more. Panda (and Phoebe and Jeff) are facing a very long road of reconstructive surgeries, doctor and specialist appointments, speech therapy, and so much more.



Meet Panda’s Mommy and Daddy ❤️ Their love story could rival a fairytale - it is that good. They met at a leadership conference on August 6th, 2011 in Wisconsin. Phoebe overheard Jeff talking about how his birthday was the day before (August 5th) which immediately caught her attention - they had the same birthday! Come to find out the two are literally hours apart in age - if that isn’t fate I don’t know what is. They began talking and getting to know one another and that did not change once the conference came to an end. The two dated long distance for almost a year as Phoebe lived in Minnesota and Jeff in Oregon. Phoebe came to visit that first Thanksgiving and I can honestly say I knew right then that this Minnesotan girl would be my sister in law one day. Jeff applied to and was accepted into college in Minnesota so he could be closer to Phoebe and the two lived, worked and went to school together in Duluth for 3 years. Once Phoebe graduated with her Doctorate in Physical Therapy - the two moved to their new home in Oregon. Jeff proposed to Phoebe under a waterfall at Silver Falls State Park and they had the most beautiful and romantic wedding in the Gorge on June 2nd, 2017. A couple months later they learned they were pregnant with their first baby and they were over the moon with love and excitement for this new chapter in their lives.

Jeff and Phoebe are my brother in law and sister in law and  we were blessed to have them live with us for a year and  I cannot even begin to tell you how amazing Phoebe and Jeff are and how truly grateful I am to have them in my life.  They are always the first to volunteer their assistance when someone needs help, they love their nieces and nephews more than you can imagine and I  honestly could not think of a better couple to care for, raise and love baby Panda no matter what his struggles may be. Through this fundraiser I am hoping to relieve a small portion of what will soon be an enormous financial responsibility. They have insurance but unfortunately their deductible and out of pocket maximum is pretty high. Phoebe is hoping to take as much time off from work as possible to be with Panda as he will most likely have his first of MANY reconstructive surgeries shortly after birth. I want to be able to give them peace of mind knowing they have a cushion set aside for medical bills as they arise to help alleviate the stress of being a one income family. Whatever you can give is greatly appreciated and will make a huge difference for Phoebe and Jeff as they navigate being first time parents to a special boy with special needs. Thankfully Phoebe, Jeff and Panda have a village behind them to make this transition as easy as it possibly can be. If you cannot donate, I urge you to please share this page with everyone you know. If you know Jeff and Phoebe, or their family, personally and have questions about Panda’s condition - please feel free to reach out to me (Lisbeth Duong) through Facebook - I am more than happy to answer questions or pass on messages.

To learn more about Treacher Collins Syndrome, please visit these sites:
https://ghr.nlm.nih.gov/condition/treacher-collins-syndrome#resources
https://www.medicinenet.com/treacher_collins_syndrome/article.htm