5 year old’s new beat on life
For a five year old Delmar boy holding out hope for a life saving transplant, the wait is now over. Brayden Houston received the organ he desperately needed on Wednesday night.
His medical journey started in 2011 when he was diagnosed with Barth Syndrome and it has been a tough road for him and his family ever since. But since he got the transplant friends of the family tell us spirits are high.
47 ABC spoke with family friend Sheila Kintz and she tells us, “We are very hopeful and things look very good at this point.”
Braydon was just over 1 year old when he went to the hospital for the first time for what they thought was a heart murmur. But what they discovered is that the left side of his heart was enlarged. After 3 years of treatment and monitoring Brayden’s health took a frightening turn.
In 2014 he was transported to AI Dupont hospital when he started having back pain and trouble breathing. He was then hooked up to a Berlin Heart and on December 17th, 2014 he was officially listed on the organ transplant list. Just two hours after receiving his new heart, doctors prepped him for surgery.
Kintz tells 47 ABC, “There’s a lot of expenses that are incurred by living you know in a hospital not to mention the expenses that are incurred you know going back and fourth just to visit.”
Sheila Kintz and Melissa Ferree are volunteers for Children’s Organ Transplant Association or COTA which helps families who need transplants and are currently helping raise funds for Brayden’s expensive treatments but that’s not all. They’re also helping collect money for lodging, transportation, food as well as gas. And this is not for current expenses but those in the future, as well.
Kintz tells 47 ABC, “That account is open for his whole entire life so down the road if he’s having heart issues and there’s money in that account then it can be used for that.”
Kintz and Ferree’s children attend pre-school with Brayden and the three families are very close.
Kintz tells 47 ABC, “So far things are going very well he is being monitored, that’s part of the protocol for him to be sedated so he has not come away from the operation yet.”
Although the family is overjoyed over this gift of life, they are aware that the first two days post surgery are critical.
If you would like to donate money to help support Brayden you may do so by visiting his website which is:
http://www.cotaforbraydenh.com/
There will also be a number of fundraisers to benefit Brayden and his family. On April 13th there is a Paint Nite Fundraiser from 6:30-8:30 at the Seaford Moose Lodge which is located at 22579 Bridgeville Hwy, Seaford, DE.
There will also be a 5K Run/Walk on Saturday, June 13th beginning at 9 AM at Trinity Logistics which is located at 50 Fallon Ave, Seaford, DE.
If you have any questions you may contact Sheila Kintz at reliance95@comcast.net
