Join Us in Easing Lisa's Medical Journey

It is with great importance that I share this story with you regarding my niece and goddaughter, Lisa (Antonelli) Ruane. Hi, my name is Jeanette Walker and I want to share the Antonelli/Ruane Family journey beginning when Lisa was diagnosed at six-months old with a congenital heart defect, ALCAPA, anomalous left coronary artery from the pulmonary artery

ALCAPA is a condition that is diagnosed 1 in every 300,000 live births, with a 90% infant mortality rate left untreated. Within weeks of her diagnosis, Lisa underwent her first surgery to save her life and since then she has undergone 5 open heart surgeries and a pacemaker placement.

If you know Lisa, she has never been one to discuss or complain about her surgeries and procedures and has always kept a positive attitude toward life. Lisa is a pediatric nurse where she can share her experiences helping young families with children in similar situations and to give back for all of the care she’s received.

It has been 7 years since her last open heart surgery and on September 24th, she will be having her, what we hope to be, final surgery. She is having a mechanical mitral valve replacement and pacemaker exchange. This surgery will come with more risks and possible complications due to the fact that she’s had 5 previous open heart surgeries and after many conversations with her team, it's been decided that her surgery will be completed at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, MN.

The Antonelli/Ruane family has never asked for any help and while Lisa and Sean are very private, I am asking to help support them and decrease any financial burden that comes with her lifelong medical journey, especially while they both take time off from work. Their parents, Kevin and Annette Antonelli and Tom and Colleen Ruane, will travel with Lisa, Sean and their children to be close by for the week of surgery and then will be taking on the role of helping care for their grandkids while Lisa recovers.

Any contributions will go directly toward ongoing and future medical bills as well as travel expenses. Although this is presumed to be her final open heart surgery, living with a congenital heart defect comes with lifelong care and management.