Over the past year, Alena, our 12-year-old daughter, has continued to smile, joke, and laugh through circumstances that would challenge even many adults. Every day, she takes multiple oral medications and lives with a 24-hour continuous subcutaneous medication infusion, that comes with its own set of side effects, as she works to reverse the damage caused by pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) (enlarged heart and right ventricle heart failure) and manage the symptoms of this disease. Her strength, resilience, and ability to find joy, even on these hard days, continues to inspire. 

Since being diagnosed with pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) last summer, our lives have revolved around medications, specialists, procedures, and trips to specialists as we work to reverse the damage the disease has caused, manage the symptoms she lives with every day and monitor her progress.

We have been incredibly blessed by the love, prayers, encouragement, and financial support so many of you have already given our family. There aren't enough words to express how grateful we are. Every donation, message, and prayer has helped carry us through some of our hardest days, and we will never forget the kindness you've shown us.

In just a couple of weeks, we'll be making another trip to Salt Lake City for some of her most important appointments yet. She is scheduled for a cardiac MRI and a heart catheterization (Cath Lab), which will help her medical team evaluate how her heart and lungs are responding to treatment and determine the next steps in her care.

This isn't a trip she's looking forward to. Salt Lake City holds some very difficult memories for her. Nearly a year ago, she was life-flighted there during the scariest time of our lives. She spent three weeks away from home while an incredible team of doctors worked  to stabilize her and develop a treatment plan. As grateful as we are for the care she received, returning brings back those frightening memories. We're doing our best to encourage her bravery and remind her that this trip is about checking on the progress she's made—not reliving the worst days.

As much as I hate asking for help again, the reality is that the travel expenses continue to add up. Between fuel, car rental, lodging, meals, and time away from work, each trip (on top of the medical bills that follow) places financial strain on our family.

If you're in a position to help, no matter the amount, we would be deeply grateful. And if giving isn't possible right now, we would appreciate your prayers for Alena’s courage, for safe travels, for confirmation that everything is headed in the right direction, for the guidance of her physicians. And would be so thankful if you shared our fundraiser with others.

Thank you for supporting Alena and our family. Because of your generosity, we've been  able to focus on what matters most—getting her the care she needs and giving her every opportunity to keep fighting this disease.