Donate to Valentina Mae's Urgent Medical Journey

Valentina Mae Shepard is such a joyful and sweet baby girl. She is a few short weeks away from being 9 months old, but she is also a few short weeks away from a very important operation that will majorly increase her quality of life. Due to a medical condition, she was born with, Valentina requires a large reconstruction of her urinary tract and pelvis. Her medical condition is rare, and for that reason, this surgery has to be done out of state at John’s Hopkins in Baltimore, Maryland. Vallie’s family is told to expect her hospital stay at John’s Hopkins to be a minimum of 6 weeks, however, there are factors that could lead to a stay up to 10 weeks. During the time following this operation, Valentina and her mom, Andrea, will remain in the hospital in Baltimore, and her dad, Corey, will travel back and forth from Buffalo to Baltimore with their other two toddlers each week. On top of the large emotional weight this time will bring, the temporary relocation and extended hospital stay will come with many other stressors, as well, such as lost work, travel expenses, and increased need for childcare. Their lives will all be a bit upended for some time, and while they look forward to a future of much more comfort for Miss Vallie Mae, it seemed a proper time to offer them support. The funds raised would be used to help the family with medical bills, gas, living/travel expenses, and also to support the family with paying bills, buying groceries, and any other needs during times that Andrea and Corey will be unable to work. The weight of their financial burden being lightened would enable the family to focus their energy on supporting Valentina during her recovery.

Most people haven’t heard of bladder exstrophy, and until it changed their lives, neither had the Shepards. During a routine ultrasound while pregnant with Valentina in the Fall of 2023, the family was given some information that something looked concerning with their baby’s bladder. It looked as if there was a mass in or on it, and the doctors didn’t know what it was. This answer was difficult to digest, so Andrea and Corey dove into their own research. They found John’s Hopkins in Baltimore, who has some of the most talented surgeons, and sought out their expert opinion. With the indispensable help of family and Wings Flights of Hope, they were able to get to Baltimore for multiple appointments while patiently (and anxiously) awaiting their brave Valentina’s arrival. Each appointment continued to confirm the diagnosis of bladder exstrophy. With this extremely rare condition, Valentina’s abdominal wall and bladder didn’t develop fully, leaving the area and bladder exposed and open, as well as her pelvic bones widened. She will soon require an extensive reconstructive surgery of her urinary tract, which will include positioning the bladder correctly within her body, reforming and repositioning her pelvic bones, repairing the outer pelvic area, and closing her bladder and abdominal wall. In order to hold the pelvic bones stable and aligned for healing, Vallie will be placed in an external fixator. This is essentially a metal frame with pins that go into the bone to keep them in place. She will remain hospitalized through this time, and she will not be able to be held or lifted. While the moments may be frightening, Valentina’s positive and fierce spirit will surely lead each day.

After this surgery, Valentina’s surgeons will continue to follow her and monitor for infections and continence issues as she grows. As she gets older, more surgeries will be necessary to help improve issues related to bladder function and anatomy. Valentina is tiny, but the joy she brings is huge. Through every step, she has shone so brightly and bravely. This next step will be her biggest yet, but there is no doubt Valentina will soar with a smile and a foot twirl. Any support, prayerful or financial, that you can share with her would be so much appreciated.