Stand with Erika in Her Time of Need

Hello everyone, I'm Brandon Kitts and I have the most outstanding niece that I brag on constantly. My sister Amber may have had the lil monkey, but I have claimed her since birth. She is my partner in crime, and I would lay my life down for her any day.

Erika June Kitts is like most teens these days, loves sports, FFA, and friends at school. One day at school, she passed out and was sent home to my sister, where she was promptly taken to the hospital to see what could be the cause. Well, long story short and many doctor's visits and televisits with specialists, she was diagnosed with a brain aneurysm, literally crushing Erika's life of going to school, playing sports, and FFA. Doctors told a teenager that she had to stay home, not get overworked, and nothing stressful or strenuous to be done. HOW do you tell a teen this?! The doctors locally did not want to risk surgeries and treatments.

Devastated, her mom would speak to Erika's grandma and myself on the phone, requesting our thoughts on what she had been told. Both of us agreed that a second opinion was necessary, and I began looking into the best neurosurgeons for pediatric patients that had to be somewhat local. John Hopkins seemed to match what I told my sister to look for. Only after a few phone calls, Erika was heading to Baltimore, MD, to their pediatric neurologist/neurosurgeon for a second opinion. This is where we were told a few different things. First, they took her insurance from Virginia, which later we found out they didn't. Luckily, she has a secondary that is taken but not 100%.

What we are needing and looking for is travel to and from Baltimore (gas, hotel, etc.) and the remainder of her medical bills. Everyone who knows me knows I am not one to be asking for anyone's hard-earned money, but I need a miracle to get these funds together. I myself have not been able to work since November 20 due to my own surgery. So please help my little niece.

They (John Hopkins) have confirmed that she needs a stent and several angiograms within the year and will be placed on blood thinners for the foreseeable future.