DETROIT – Doctors and nurses at Children’s Hospital are working around the clock to keep an infant’s heart beating.
Conner Curtis and his twin sister Kallie were born May 7 and the boy has already survived two heart surgeries.
The family is hoping the community can help while they wait on an organ transplant list.
Curtis is at Children’s Hospital waiting for a new heart. His parents suffered several miscarriages before they could grow their family. Now they’re praying the boy will be able to join them at home.
“He’s definitely defeated all the odds,” said Kayla Curtis, the boy’s mother.
At just three weeks old and all of six pounds, two ounces the infant is in desperate need of a new heart.
“We’ve been through a lot as a family. So for us to have another obstacle that we got to get through is just a lot,” said Brandon Curtis, the boy’s father.
For much of the mother’s pregnancy, their twins were healthy. But during her last ultrasound, doctors became worried the child’s heart was abnormal and Kallie was too small.
“We say his twin sister is his guardian angel, most twins -- when they know one is sick -- they take all the nutrients from them, when she was giving him the nutrients,” said the mother.
After delivering birth via C-section at 36 weeks, doctors realized the boy needed emergency surgery.
“That was very heartbreaking to know that there was a good chance I was never going to be able to see my baby boy,” said the mother.
“They told my husband that if this wasn’t successful, he only had a 10 percent chance of living and now he’s three weeks old and he’s still making it, and now on the transplant list.”
She only touched their baby boy for the first time after his second heart surgery.
“He was getting really upset and I was able to pat his head and rub his head and that calmed him down, we’re talking to him. So that, like made my day,” she said.
The father talked about how difficult the situation has been.
“It feels unfair that I’ve helped her so many times, and I’ve never once held Conner yet,” he said.
The Clinton Township family has set up an online fundraiser to help with raising money for medical bills.
“Continue praying for our baby, and hopefully you know, he does get a new heart soon, so that he can come home to his family,” said the mother.
HOW TO HELP
To help the family, you can visit the online fundraiser by clicking here.