Help Heal Mary's Beautiful Heart

Meet Mary, she is 31 years old, and one of the most beautiful and gracious souls to walk this earth. Here's her story. Please read it, feel it, and share what you can. Funds are greatly appreciated, prayers are too.

Roughly one year ago, Mary married Austin. They welcomed their first child, Francisco, 11 months later. After some ups and downs with feeding the first week (and an overnight stay in the hospital for baby Francisco), the new family had 2 weeks together before life was unexpectedly upended.

Mary collapsed in the kitchen just 3 weeks postpartum and was sent to the ER. Once admitted to the hospital, she underwent numerous tests to check her major organs (CTs, MRIs, etc.). Imaging revealed an issue with her heart and a transesophageal echocardiogram was performed to get a better look (a tube is put down the throat in order to get an ultrasound of the inside of the heart). After days of testing and uncertainty, Mary finally had a diagnosis: there was a large tumor inside her heart! It was an extremely rare tumor that had the potential to block a ventricle and she would need open heart surgery to remove it.

Thankfully, the surgery was successful and the tumor was removed. The story doesn't end here though. Due to the consistency and rarity of the tumor, an oncologist was called in. He advised Mary to travel to Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in New York City. There she will receive top expertise on this rare situation and possible future treatment. This will be another financial commitment depending on how long Mary needs to stay in NYC, and if treatment is necessary. In addition, Mary will need rehab from her heart surgery. She has a long recovery ahead of her. Currently she is unable to care for her beautiful new baby or even hold him because her arms need to remain at her sides, and she cannot put any weight on her chest.

To add to the stress, Austin was in the process of transitioning to a new job and making plans for the 3 of them to move to another state. Instead, his attention had to shift. He had to take off some time from his current job to split his time caring for Mary and baby Francisco. It is likely that his new job start date will be delayed and the income that they were counting on during this time won't be available, given where his focus is needed.

Mary and Austin are facing enormous financial strain due to the unfortunate chain of events that occurred after she gave birth: from the overnight hospital stay for the baby to Mary’s 10-day hospital stay, cardiac rehab, and now travel for specialized care. It feels hard to even imagine what this family is faced with physically, emotionally, and financially. This is an extremely expensive situation for a new family to be in as they start their life together. Insurance coverage is limited. The unexpected out-of-pocket medical costs for Mary will be astronomical.

This is not the postpartum time Mary was looking forward to. Being away from her newborn and now unable to care for him has been emotionally devastating. Family and friends have provided so much love and support, which Mary and Austin are extremely thankful for. Through this whole ordeal, Mary and Austin continue to have a strong faith and a positive attitude, despite times of exhaustion and sorrow. She says that her son gives her strength, and she is driven to get well for him.

Please consider donating to help heal Mary's heart and to provide the support needed for this new family to make ends meet. All donations are truly appreciated, and all amounts are welcome. Thanks in advance!