Mason Strickland was born 3 1/2 weeks early on Nov 30, 2007. His parents, Summer and Mark, took him home from the hospital at 2 days old, thinking he was a healthy little newborn. It wasn’t long before they realized that Mason’s first night at home was not like what they experienced with their other 4 children. On his first night, he fell ill. He did not want to eat and his body temperature was cool. Mason was taken to the pediatrician the next day. Within minutes, an ambulance was called when a pulse could not be detected and his temperature noted to be 88 degrees. What happened at the hospital in the next 30 minutes would be every parent’s nightmare. Mason was quickly put on a warmer to increase his body temp and IV antibiotics were given as a precaution to possible infection. Just as it seemed things were under control, Mason began to flat line on the monitor. A Code Blue was called and as doctors and nurses rushed in, Mason’s parents were ushered out so that the staff could work. It was an agonizing 40 minutes as Mark and Summer waited. They were not sure of the exact cause. Was Mason’s body shutting down due to infection or was there an underlying heart problem? The minutes seem like hours when parents are left to ponder such questions.

Once Mason was stable, the doctors informed his parents that there was a severe problem with the function of his heart. Within two hours, Mason was taken via Life Flight to Primary Children’s Medical Center in Salt Lake City. There, it was learned, that Mason had a variation of Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome (HLHS). His mitral valve was so tiny that the blood flow through his left ventricle was very inefficient. In addition, his liver and kidneys were functioning very poorly. In order to help him overcome this defect, Mason would need 3 heart surgeries over time. With the events that had occurred in these first 3 days, it was unclear when the first surgery could be done.

Mason did well in the days to follow, so well in fact that he was able to have the first surgery at just 10 days old. On Dec 10, 2007, Mason had the Norwood with Sano heart surgery. He spent a total of 7 weeks in the hospital, mostly in the PICU, before being able to go home. Mason was reunited with the family but his stay was intermittently interrupted for many reasons. At 4 months old, Mason went into severe tachycardia at home and needed to be taken via Life Flight to Primary Children’s Medical Center from the family’s front lawn. At 6 months old, Mason had his 2nd open heart surgery, the bi-directional Glenn which led to a 2 week stay in the hospital. In addition, there were hospital stays due to pneumonia, H1N1, G-tube surgery, fevers, etc.

In April of 2009 (16 months old), at a routine echo he was diagnosed with heart failure and moderate to severe leaking in his tricuspid valve. Mason’s new diagnosis required additional heart medications and full-time oxygen. His rapid weight loss due to the heart failure necessitated a G-tube button be placed. All these things were done in the hope of improving Mason’s heart function. In August of 2009, it was determined that because there had not been any improvement in his heart function over the previous 5 months, Mason would need a heart transplant. It was then that the process began to get Mason listed for transplant. With his heart in its current condition, Mason would not be able to go on to the 3rd recommended surgery.

On September 3rd 2009, Mason had a pre-transplant heart catheterization. This was routine procedure in order to be listed. During the procedure, it was found that Mason had severe pulmonary vein stenosis. Both of his left pulmonary veins were completed obstructed, with no blood flow between his left lung and his heart. This new information meant that Mason was no longer a candidate for heart transplant. The family was then told that there was nothing more that could be done and that Mason would probably only live for several months before succumbing to his condition.

It is hard to imagine the feeling that Mason’s parents must have had after receiving such news. For them, one of the hardest parts was going home to face the other children, who were very excited for Mason to get a new heart. Mason’s heart transplant had provided new hope to the family. It was a way to get Mason and his mommy home to the family where they belonged. Hearing that transplant was not an option was painful; thinking about the potential outcome was devastating. Like many families, the Stricklands did not give up that easy. They wanted to give Mason every possible chance they could. They owed it to Mason, but they owed it to their other children as well.

The parents learned that they could send Mason’s history to transplant centers that do heart-lung transplants. It was a long shot given his case and current condition that he would be accepted. Indeed, most centers did say Mason was too high risk for a heart-lung transplant. In late 2009, the Stricklands received the answer to their many prayers. Two hospitals stepped forward with a new option. Both suggested that since Mason’s right lung was still very healthy, they could do a heart only transplant to his own one healthy lung. Although a less common procedure and still very risky, the option brought back the feeling of hope that they had before. Mason would have a new chance at life again.

The Stricklands decided that the hospital to do Mason’s transplant would be Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital at Stanford University in Palo Alto, California. In January 2010, Mason was officially accepted by their Board of Transplant Doctors and Surgeons to be a “heart only” recipient. Mason and his mother would have to leave the family and live in Northern California while he waited for his new heart. On February 16, 2010, Mason said goodbye to his dad and siblings and headed to California. He was about to begin his wait for his donor heart to be found. For the family, being apart during this time was very hard. Mason needed to stay in California and for Summer and Mark, it was important that their 4 older children stayed on as normal a schedule as they possibly could. They prayed that the wait would not be too long. They prayed for Mason’s return to health and for the reunion of the family.

In early April, the Stricklands came together as a family in California to celebrate Easter. The children were off from school for break so it provided a perfect opportunity. They were only together a short period when Mason had a mini-stroke and needed to be admitted to the CVICU for monitoring. This meant that Mason would be in the hospital over the Easter weekend. The family was very disappointed that they would not be able to celebrate Easter with Mason as they had planned. What they did not know, was that they were going to get a great gift that weekend. On the evening of April 3, 2010, Mason’s heart failure/ transplant cardiologist came to the CVICU to inform the family that they had a matching donor and Mason would receive his new heart on Easter morning. To the Stricklands, this was an Easter miracle. Mason has since become affectionately nicknamed, Miracle Mason.

Mason’s successful heart transplant has come with many of the mountains that newly transplanted children and families must climb. It is a new way of life with a new set of challenges, many medications and much monitoring. Mason, still in California, has been undergoing routine heart catherizations to check for rejection. There has been a degree of rejection evident in the test results but they are currently trending downward. The Stricklands continue to maintain a positive and healthy outlook for Mason and their entire family. They are confident that their Miracle Mason can get through anything! A quote by Albert Einstein on the family’s blog page sums things up; “There are two ways to live your life – one is as though nothing is a miracle, the other is as though everything is a miracle.” Little Mason Strickland is definitely a miracle.

              

                In the Fall of 2008, Carlos and Elsa Escobar and their two year old son, Misael, of Fort Washington, Maryland, were excitingly awaiting a new addition to their family.  They were unsure what to expect since their doctor informed them at five months into the pregnancy that their baby would be born with a serious heart condition.

                Baby Esdras was born on November 5, 2008.  His prenatal diagnosis meant his coronary vein was not closed.  For two months following his birth, he remained at the Children’s Hospital Washington Center in Washington D.C.  The hospital was located approximately 20 minutes from their home in Maryland.  At just five months old, Esdras had his first heart operation.  After the surgery, his heart seemed to be functioning normally. Esdras appeared to advance as a healthy and happy infant.

                In January 2010, the Escobars took Esdras to a routine appointment with his cardiologist.  Soon after, it seemed Esdras was getting very sick.  He was crying a lot and was uncomfortable eating and sleeping.  Carlos and Elsa rushed their son to the emergency room in Washington D.C.  The doctors felt Esdras had a small infection and needed to be admitted in order to further evaluate the situation. 

                Two days later, Esdras went into cardiac arrest twice.  At this time, the medical staff informed Carlos and Elsa that it was necessary for Esdras to receive a heart transplant.  Things evolved very quickly and the Escobars were afraid and overwhelmed.  They were sent to Childrens Hospital of Pittsburgh in order to be evaluated in preparation for transplant qualification.  Esdras was assessed and placed on the transplant list.

                The waiting process began in January, but it would be nearly two months before they would hear anything.  At four o’clock in the morning on March 23, 2010, Carlos received a call that a donor had been found.  He drove immediately from Maryland to Pittsburgh.  Esdras emerged from the operating room after six long hours with a fully functioning heart.  Carlos and Elsa wept with happiness.

                The process did not end with a successful transplant.  The Escobar family has to work hard to keep their nineteen month old safe from infections or setbacks.  Keeping their family afloat financially and emotionally during this frightening time has been a struggle for the Escobars.  Being matched up with the Erika Kate Foundation through social worker, Laura Stabile, came at the right time says Esdras’s daddy, “We are Christians and this has helped us very much because God has given us the strength to go on.  Finding the Erika Kate Foundation has blessed us.  EKF helped us when we needed it.  God bless this foundation and continue to help other families.  Thank you for everything.” The Erika Kate Foundation has been grateful to utilize the talents of Erika’s aunt, RaeAnn Latko, to translate for and work with the Escobars.

                Esdras remains in Pittsburgh, but seems to be doing much better.  With the support and prayers of Erika Kate Foundation supporters and his strong family, the future for little Esdras and his healthy heart looks very bright.

Team EKF/QCM Training Links

Looking for training tips in preparation for the Quad City Half-Marathon? Whether you’re interested in running a 5K (3.1 miles), a 10K (6.2 miles), the half-marathon (13.1 miles), or aren’t yet certain, we can direct you to valuable training schedules to help keep you on track for a great event. Choose the distance you plan to run and check out these links to valuable information to guide your training. Come out and show your support for the Erika Kate Foundation. 

10K (6.2 miles)

Half-Marathon

Registration for the Team EKF/QC Marathon event: There are two ways to register for your event.  Follow the links below to register online or download a PDF mail-in form.  Chose one or the other.  Be sure to indicate on the application that you plan to participate on behalf of Team EKF.  Once you have registered, please shoot us an email at info@erikakate.org so we can keep a head count of those that plan to participate.
Online Registration

Download QCM Race Registration Form

And don’t forget to REGISTER HERE with Team EKF!!

Visit www.qcmarathon.org for more information.

Got questions related to your training?  Check out this new resource for tips on getting started in the sport of running.

EKF is vying for $50,000 grant and needs YOUR help!

Everyday for the month of May, please visit Pepsi Refresh EKF page (www.refresheverything.com/erikakate) and vote for EKF to win a $50,000 grant. With this money, EKF could help up to 100 families! ONE HUNDRED! Pepsi is only allowing 1000 non-profit causes to compete for the money and the competition lasts just one month at a time. You can only vote for us once a day, but you can help us get votes in other ways by copying the message below into your email and sending to your address book, friends and family, etc., posting as your facebook status with the link and asking your FB friends to vote, or any other creative idea you can think of.

Example Email:

I support the Erika Kate Foundation. The mission of the Erika Kate Foundation is to ease the emotional, spiritual, and financial burdens borne by parents of children with life threatening heart disease . EKF is competing to win a $50,000 grant from Pepsi which they can use to aid up to 100 families! The competition only lasts 1 month and you can vote everyday once. They need your votes and support. Please go to the Pepsi Refresh EKF page at: www.refresheverything.com/erikakate

You can also send this message to more of your friends and place in your Facebook status.

If you want to learn more about EKF, visit erikakate.org. You can also support EKF by joining their Facebook page .

Example Facebook Status:

Help aid families of children with cardiac disease emotionally and financially by voting for the Erika Kate Foundation (erikakate.org) in the Pepsi Refresh grant challenge – they can win $50K and help 100 families! Vote once/day everyday in March and add this to your status.

Add the following link to your status before posting: www.refresheverything.com/erikakate

Please download our flyer by clicking here to post in your office, church, grocery store, etc..

EKF Pepsi Flyer

Tear off Flyer

EKF Pepsi insert template