Macie: Heart of a Warrior Heart Transplant Fund
Donation protected
The Backstory
Macie is an amazing 11 year old girl in the end stages of heart
failure, who is in need of a heart transplant. Macie’s story of survival
began in January 2017 when she was diagnosed with Ewing’s Sarcoma,
a bone and soft tissue cancer that was evident by a large tumor growing
in her right leg. Over the course of that year, Macie and her family walked
through the unthinkable. Macie endured 17 rounds of chemotherapy, 20+
blood transfusions, several biopsies, port surgery, dozens of long
inpatient hospital stays, as well as an extensive tumor resection surgery,
which included the removal of her right fibula bone and the surrounding muscles and tissues where the tumor had been growing. Following her final round of chemotherapy, scans declared her to be cancer-free (NED) beginning in November of 2017.
While this was great news, her fight was far from over. Macie would need continual follow up scans and clinic visits for the rest of her life to ensure she remained cancer-free. Macie also endured months of physical therapy in order to regain the feeling and use of her right foot again. Through a lot of hard work and
determination, as well as an incredible physical therapist, she was eventually able to restore movement to her right leg and foot and learned to walk again on her own without the assistance of a walker or a cane that she had relied on.
Macie is a competitive swimmer and she loves being in the water. Throughout her fight with cancer, she remained focused on her goal of returning to the pool and being able to compete again for her club team (MAC - Mesa Aquatics Club).
Macie loves life and is incredibly optimistic and positive despite her trials and circumstances. She rarely has bad days and her enthusiasm for living is contagious. People love to be around Macie, she has the special ability to light up a room with her smile and hope.
Despite the ongoing check ups and routine follow-up exams that come as result of fighting cancer, Macie returned to as much of a normal life as possible.
One possible side effect to the chemotherapy medications she needed to beat cancer was heart damage. This was considered to be a relatively low risk at the time. Her chemotherapy regimen was standard and mandatory in order to beat Ewing’s, be able to live, and continue fighting down the road.
Knowing this possibility, her doctors have always closely monitored her heart function since 2017. Macie’s heart function has been stable overall until just recently, when it suddenly and rapidly declined.
In a moment's notice, Macie’s entire life was once again flipped upside down. She was immediately admitted to the ICU at her local children's hospital. Soon after, because of the severity and gravity of her condition, Macie was transferred to the Phoenix Children's Hospital (PCH) Cardiovascular ICU. PCH is more than 40 minutes from her home, but she can be seen by a specialized team of cardiologists and doctors who are better equipped to help her.
Currently, Macie is in end stage cardiomyopathy and needs a heart transplant in order to continue her fight. There are many mountains yet to climb as we embark on this journey.
The Costs
There are many costs associated with her upcoming heart transplant and subsequent long-term stays at the hospital. While good health insurance has been a blessing, there are still high deductibles that need to be met and other unexpected expenses ahead that will need to be figured out long term — co-pays, medication, upcoming surgeries, travel expenses to and from the hospital, food expenses, and everything else in between.
Additionally, Macie’s parents are doing the best they can to support her 3 (soon to be 4) younger siblings still at home throughout all of this ordeal and in the midst of a worldwide pandemic. This fundraiser is intended to help supplement a portion of these anticipated expenses.
How You Can Help
We are asking you to join your hearts with ours to envelop Macie and her family with love and support. Please consider donating to this fund as a way to lift and bless the lives of Macie as well as her family.
In addition please share her story via Facebook or Instagram so more people can learn about Macie and the incredible influence she has on this earth.
Please pray for sweet Macie, her doctors, and her parents to be strengthened as they walk through this journey together.
This is not the end of Macie’s story, but just the beginning. To know Macie is to love her. Please join with me as we unite as family and friends and shower her with support and love. Her love and contagious smile have created miracles for many who know her.
Follow Macie’s story on Facebook or Instagram, Miracles for Macie. Thank you so very much. Words cannot match how blessed we feel to have your support.
Kate Pouliot
(Macie’s Aunt)
Macie is an amazing 11 year old girl in the end stages of heart
failure, who is in need of a heart transplant. Macie’s story of survival
began in January 2017 when she was diagnosed with Ewing’s Sarcoma,
a bone and soft tissue cancer that was evident by a large tumor growing
in her right leg. Over the course of that year, Macie and her family walked
through the unthinkable. Macie endured 17 rounds of chemotherapy, 20+
blood transfusions, several biopsies, port surgery, dozens of long
inpatient hospital stays, as well as an extensive tumor resection surgery,
which included the removal of her right fibula bone and the surrounding muscles and tissues where the tumor had been growing. Following her final round of chemotherapy, scans declared her to be cancer-free (NED) beginning in November of 2017.
While this was great news, her fight was far from over. Macie would need continual follow up scans and clinic visits for the rest of her life to ensure she remained cancer-free. Macie also endured months of physical therapy in order to regain the feeling and use of her right foot again. Through a lot of hard work and
determination, as well as an incredible physical therapist, she was eventually able to restore movement to her right leg and foot and learned to walk again on her own without the assistance of a walker or a cane that she had relied on.
Macie is a competitive swimmer and she loves being in the water. Throughout her fight with cancer, she remained focused on her goal of returning to the pool and being able to compete again for her club team (MAC - Mesa Aquatics Club).
Macie loves life and is incredibly optimistic and positive despite her trials and circumstances. She rarely has bad days and her enthusiasm for living is contagious. People love to be around Macie, she has the special ability to light up a room with her smile and hope.
Despite the ongoing check ups and routine follow-up exams that come as result of fighting cancer, Macie returned to as much of a normal life as possible.
One possible side effect to the chemotherapy medications she needed to beat cancer was heart damage. This was considered to be a relatively low risk at the time. Her chemotherapy regimen was standard and mandatory in order to beat Ewing’s, be able to live, and continue fighting down the road.
Knowing this possibility, her doctors have always closely monitored her heart function since 2017. Macie’s heart function has been stable overall until just recently, when it suddenly and rapidly declined.
In a moment's notice, Macie’s entire life was once again flipped upside down. She was immediately admitted to the ICU at her local children's hospital. Soon after, because of the severity and gravity of her condition, Macie was transferred to the Phoenix Children's Hospital (PCH) Cardiovascular ICU. PCH is more than 40 minutes from her home, but she can be seen by a specialized team of cardiologists and doctors who are better equipped to help her.
Currently, Macie is in end stage cardiomyopathy and needs a heart transplant in order to continue her fight. There are many mountains yet to climb as we embark on this journey.
The Costs
There are many costs associated with her upcoming heart transplant and subsequent long-term stays at the hospital. While good health insurance has been a blessing, there are still high deductibles that need to be met and other unexpected expenses ahead that will need to be figured out long term — co-pays, medication, upcoming surgeries, travel expenses to and from the hospital, food expenses, and everything else in between.
Additionally, Macie’s parents are doing the best they can to support her 3 (soon to be 4) younger siblings still at home throughout all of this ordeal and in the midst of a worldwide pandemic. This fundraiser is intended to help supplement a portion of these anticipated expenses.
How You Can Help
We are asking you to join your hearts with ours to envelop Macie and her family with love and support. Please consider donating to this fund as a way to lift and bless the lives of Macie as well as her family.
In addition please share her story via Facebook or Instagram so more people can learn about Macie and the incredible influence she has on this earth.
Please pray for sweet Macie, her doctors, and her parents to be strengthened as they walk through this journey together.
This is not the end of Macie’s story, but just the beginning. To know Macie is to love her. Please join with me as we unite as family and friends and shower her with support and love. Her love and contagious smile have created miracles for many who know her.
Follow Macie’s story on Facebook or Instagram, Miracles for Macie. Thank you so very much. Words cannot match how blessed we feel to have your support.
Kate Pouliot
(Macie’s Aunt)
Fundraising team: Team Macie (2)
Kathryn Pouliot
Organizer
Mesa, AZ
Jonathan Schnepf
Beneficiary
Joshua Brooks
Team member