Support McKenzie family through hardship

UPDATE!!!!! Thank you everyone that contributed their prayers or donations to help Corey and Matea through this difficult time. It’s unbelievable that the goal was reached in 7 days! Baby Lara is so strong willed!! She is still recovering in the NICU from Mondays 10/16 surgery. But she is showing very good signs day over day. Thank you all for your selflessness and generous hearts! And please continue to pray for an accelerated recovery for baby Lara so that the McKenzie’s can bring her home ❤️.

ORIGINAL Message:

Hello All,

My very dear friends, Matea and Corey McKenzie, went into their 38 week OB appointment on 10/5 excited to see their beautiful, growing baby. Unexpectedly, their sonogram revealed that their little one has a congenital diaphragmatic hernia on the left side. The baby’s intestines have made its way from the abdomen into the chest cavity and is pushing the heart to the right and covering the left lung.

What began as a normal check-up quickly evolved into a scary and difficult reality.

Their care was immediately moved to the specialty neonatal care facility, at Monroe Cerell Jr. Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt, in Nashville, TN. Under new medical guidance, they will be taking measures to have their baby at full term, 39 weeks, and will deliver by c-section this Friday, 10/13.

Their newborn, will immediately be taken to NICU for care and assessment. Not leaving much time for Mommy and Daddy to have those first important moments of kisses and cuddles…

The baby’s lung pressure will be monitored, until it is stable enough to perform corrective surgery. After this, their newborn will be back in the NICU for at least 2-3 months.

This new reality of a longer than anticipated hospital stay has brought on new stress, as they plan what their next steps will be. Corey and Matea have been in search of affordable, temporary housing to keep close to the NICU for daily visits. Matea will also be healing from surgery but will not be provided onsite hospital care after one week. They will need to accomplish all of this while still being amazing parents to their beautiful 2 year old, Luka.

This is a family of incredible strength! But financially, this is an unexpected hardship to maintain living quarters close to the hospital for up to 3 months as their home is not located near Vanderbilt NICU.

If you can find it in your hearts, please consider donating to help the McKenzie’s navigate through this challenging time. This will help ensure Mommy and Daddy stay close to the NICU so they can continue to support their newborn’s recovery. They are the most kind, generous, and deserving family.

All of your prayers and good positive thoughts are welcomed for Matea’s c-section and for baby’s quick path to recovery after surgery. May God continue to bless and protect them. Thank you all for listening and hopefully donating if you are able .