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My daughter Lily is a born fighter. When she was still in my belly, my doctor told me Lily had a serious heart defect. Our doctor said it was so bad that Lily would likely not survive her first few hours, and that I might want to consider terminating the pregnancy. That was not an option. As her mother, I had to do everything I could to give her a fighting chance, however slim that chance was. And fight she did — hours have turned into months, and Lily is still with us. She keeps on fighting.
But now we have another battle on our hands, and I need all of you to help me win it: After doctors realized she would need a transplant and she was put through a battery of tests, she was put on the transplant list so she could get a healthy heart. But soon afterwards, they discovered her brain wasn’t growing as fast as they would have liked, and our doctors said they were taking her off the list because there was the potential for being “developmentally delayed”.
I was so shocked, I had them repeat themselves to be sure I hadn’t misunderstood. They weren’t taking her off the transplant list because she wouldn’t survive; they were removing her because she might have developmental issues. That is no reason to take someone off the donor list.
From the bottom of my heart, I am asking you to join me in demanding that Loma Linda Children’s Hospital (LLCH) put Lily back on the transplant list and let her have a shot at life.
My daughter is a blessing, whether she has developmental issues or not. In fact, there are millions of parents just like my husband and I who can attest that their child is perfect and they wouldn’t have them any other way. The fact that someone is disabled doesn’t mean they are less deserving of a chance at life, and I refuse to let LLCH take that chance away from Lily.
Every life is valuable, and everyone who has the chance to live a full one deserves it. Please join me, and demand that LLCH put Lily back on the list. Her life could depend on it.
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