A four-month-old baby from Virginia is courageously fighting a rare and life-threatening lung condition as her family hopes a tiny pair of donor lungs will give her the chance to grow up.

Kylie Overfield has spent nearly her entire life in hospitals, receiving care at four medical centers across two states since the day she was born. She is now being treated at Texas Children’s Hospital, where doctors are waiting for a suitable donor so she can undergo a rare double lung transplant.

Her mother, Ashley Overfield, says there were many nights when she feared she might lose her daughter.

“So many times in the beginning, I wasn’t sure she would make it through the night,” Ashley said. “I would sit there holding her tiny hand in the NICU, wondering if she would stop breathing. It was incredibly frightening.”

Kylie was born in Richmond, Virginia, in November. Moments after birth, Ashley realized something was wrong.

“As soon as they placed her on my chest, she started turning purple,” she recalled. “I became very worried and called the nurse.”

After being evaluated at multiple hospitals, Kylie was diagnosed with surfactant protein deficiency, an extremely rare genetic lung disorder that can cause the lungs to repeatedly collapse and severely limit life expectancy.

Doctors discussed comfort care with the family, but Ashley refused to give up hope.

“I couldn’t accept that. I didn’t want to imagine holding my baby through her final moments. As long as she keeps fighting, I’ll keep fighting too.”

Determined to find another option, the family traveled to Texas Children’s Hospital, one of the nation’s leading pediatric transplant centers.

Doctors say the greatest challenge is finding donor lungs small enough for an infant of Kylie’s size.

Dr. David S. Moreno-McNeill, a pediatric pulmonologist, emphasized the extraordinary importance of organ donation for children like Kylie.

“Organ donation is an incredibly selfless gift that gives families hope,” he said. “For babies, this is an exceptionally rare procedure. Without a transplant, these children have very limited options. A transplant offers them a new chance at life. It truly feels like a miracle.”
Kylie is currently one of only about 20 children in the United States waiting for a lung transplant. Without a suitable donor, doctors fear she may not live to celebrate her first birthday. They also note that if she eventually requires life support, it could reduce her chances of receiving a transplant.

Despite the uncertainty, Ashley continues to believe that hope can arrive at any moment.

“I never want another family to experience the loss of a child. That’s unimaginable. But if they ever face that heartbreaking situation, I hope they can find comfort in knowing their decision could help save my daughter.”
While their lives have been centered around hospital rooms and medical care, Kylie’s parents continue to look toward the future.

The couple had planned to get married last December but postponed their wedding because of Kylie’s health. They now hope to celebrate their special day next month—inside her hospital room—surrounded by the daughter they continue to fight for every single day.

Source: Fox26