Hello, I’m Kali, one of Trisha’s closest friends since elementary school and I’ve created this go fund me on behalf of the Sullivan family, Trisha, Anthony, Bentley (4), and Xander (3 months). Xander has a rare condition called biliary atresia that was just discovered.
Xander was born on October 5th, 2022 weighing 9.5 lbs after a healthy pregnancy. A couple days later they got to take him home and introduce him to his big brother! After a few weeks, Xander was starting to become jaundiced so they took him back to the doctor. Besides the jaundice he was eating and gaining weight perfectly fine. They were told it was a type of jaundice that came from breast milk and not to worry that it should go away on its own in a few months.
On January 12th, Trisha began noticing other symptoms and quickly became concerned. After calling her doctor they told her to take him to Children’s Mercy Hospital in Kansas City, Missouri which is a little over an hour away. Upon their arrival doctors were immediately concerned and they were admitted. After many tests and ultrasounds it was confirmed he has a rare condition called biliary atresia. Biliary atresia is blockage in the tubes (ducts) that carry bile from the liver to the gallbladder. This is causing a bile build up in his liver causing damage.
On January 13th, Xander had a liver biopsy done. They are back home awaiting results on the biopsy. He also had a cholescintigraphy, a test where dye is injected into his abnormally small gallbladder to see if bile properly travels through the ducts. In Xander’s case, the dye stayed where they injected it, showing that his ducts are completely blocked. Depending on the results of biopsy, Xander will either come back to hospital soon for a surgery to try to fix the duct and “make” a new one or be added to the liver transplant list. If he get the surgery to make a new duct and it goes well, he would need a liver transplant sometime in the next 6 months to a few years. If they decide not to do the surgery, or if they do it and it fails he will need a transplant possibly sooner.
Anthony is retired from the military due to an injury and currently works as Medical Support Assistant at the VA Clinic. Trisha works part time at a veterinary clinic as a vet tech assistant. This go fund me is set up to help them with medical expenses, lodging, gas, lost wages, child care, and whatever else may come their way during this difficult time. The hospital is over an hour away and they will be making many trips back and forth for scans, tests and other appointments for the next few years.
On behalf of the Sullivan family, thank you for your love and support!