Support Goldie and the McMahan Family

Since learning that Goldie would be born with significant heart defects during their 18-week prenatal appointment, the McMahan family knew they'd be facing uncertainty and challenges as they navigated her diagnosis, particularly in her first year of life.

Goldie's official CHD diagnosis is Shone’s Syndrome, which essentially means she has 4 or more defects on the left side of her heart.

Katelyn and Goldie underwent a fetal procedure at 24 weeks gestation, where a team at Boston Children’s performed a Fetal Aortic Valvuloplasty in hopes of preventing Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome. Thankfully, the procedure was deemed a success, but there is still a hefty amount of surgical intervention needed to allow her to grow.

Goldie has since undergone two more open-heart surgeries: one when she was 10 days old for a surgical valvuloplasty of the aortic valve and coarctation arch repair, and a Ross Konno procedure at 2.5 months old. She will be undergoing a Catheter procedure in May and will likely need an additional surgery in the coming months for additional intervention on the aortic arch.

Between all of these procedures have been countless doctor's appointments, intermittent hospital stays, around-the-clock feedings via a feeding tube, nonstop monitoring of vitals, and constant cleaning and sanitizing of medical equipment required to keep Goldie growing healthy and strong.

...And that’s all on top of the sleepless nights, laundry, diaper changes, and other tasks that go along with caring for an infant, along with managing a household for an active family of 5. Katelyn and Stephen have been incredibly fortunate to have the help of a supportive community of family and friends to be the village they so desperately need right now.

But tending to Goldie’s medical needs is a full-time job, one from which Mom and Dad could use a little break. This GoFundMe page is to support exactly that: funding for occasional stand-in medical care, so Katelyn and Stephen can rest and refuel while knowing their precious girl is in fully capable and caring hands.

Thank you for coming together and supporting the McMahan family on this journey of courage and hope.

For more information on Goldie and updates on her diagnosis, please visit https://heartofgoldie.blog