Support 4 Pekula Family (Kaitlyn's Brain Surgery)

We are friends of the Pekula family and with their humble and reluctant approval to do this, we have established this GoFundMe page to show support for the Pekula family during this trying time. The goal is to try and help alleviate some of the financial uncertainty surrounding Kaitlyn's upcoming brain surgeries in Boston in July so that they can focus on the care Kaitlyn will most certainly need.

As many of you know, Kaitlyn was diagnosed with Tuberous Sclerosis Complex at the age of 15 months after having a seizure in her mother's arms at bedtime. Since then, Kaitlyn has been fighting every day with epilepsy and the many other complications that come with this diagnosis. Her epilepsy is known as medication resistant. For many years, Kaitlyn and her family have debated the possibility of trying brain surgery to try and help her fight epilepsy. Though it is not a cure for epilepsy, the goal is to try and improve Kaitlyn’s quality of life by helping to lessen or eliminate her seizures.

The family has built a relationship with the specialists in the Herscott Center for Tuberous Sclerosis led by Dr. Elizabeth Thiele at Boston Mass General. After many visits with their team and testing through Mass General Hospital and CHOP, they have determined that Kaitlyn is a candidate for brain surgery. Kaitlyn, the brave young woman many of us have come to know, has made the brave decision to go forward and fight back. Her family will travel to Boston in early November, and the planned surgeries (a series of 2 surgeries over a 2 week period) will require Kaitlyn and her parents to stay in Boston for about a month.

So, we have created this GoFundMe page to try and help the family with the obvious financial burdens or medical costs of having the surgery out of state, transportation/travel costs and any post-surgery medical needs/care Kaitlyn will need as she recovers.

The family has established a CaringBridge site as well to keep those interested updated through Kaitlyn's journey at: https://www.caringbridge.org/public/kaitlynpekula16

We ask that if you can afford to help, please do. However, if you cannot at this time, please consider sending a kind word of encouragement and forwarding this link on your social media networks to spread the word.

Thank you in advance!