Dooney and Burke Purse Raffle to benefit Aubrey Hope

Meet Aubrey Hope. This sweet little girl was born on August 15, 2011 at only 31 weeks gestation. Immediately after birth, she was lifelined to Riley Hospital for children, where she spent almost three months in the NICU.

Aubrey was diagnosed with VACTERL association after birth. VACTERL association is a non-random set of birth defects whose presentation may be unique but where all of the symptoms are linked. The acronym stands for the different areas affected by the disease, with noticeable affected areas in the vertebrae, anus, cardiovascular system, tracheo-esophageal fistula, renal defects, and limb defects. Many babies diagnosed with VACTERL association have difficulty growing and gaining weight, but typically develop normally and with normal intelligence. A diagnosis is made if at least three of the seven defects are presesnt in infancy. Only about 16 out of every 100,000 live births present with VACTERL association.
Aubrey was also born with Tetralogy of Fallot, a congenital heart defect, with severe pulmonary stenosis, scoliosis, hemivertebrae, bilateral clubfoot, and missing ribs. She was also born with contracted lower limbs, resulting in a diagnosis of arthrogryposis multiplex congenita. Additionally, Aubrey suffers from severe reflux and mild chronic lung disease.

Suffice it to say she had a rough start. At five weeks of age, Aubrey had surgery to place a Blalock-Taussig shunt, but within a week the shunt had closed. For several days, Aubrey was intubated on Heparin while doctors planned the next move. Her parents write, "On October 4th, Aubrey was taken to the cath lab where two stents were placed in her right ventricular outflow tract. Several days later Aubrey failed an extubation and was taken to the OR again for a bronchoscopy and ended up having a supraglottoplasty. The following week Aubrey had a gastrostomy to place a G-tube. She came home in November with a G-tube and on oxygen. At home she's flourished and made it clear she's the boss of our house."

Recently, her parents learned that Aubrey may have a rare clotting disorder, Factor V Leiden. This is not good news for Aubrey, since she is outgrowing her stents and will need reparative surgery on her heart. Her parents and hospital staff have decided it is best for Aubrey to be sent to Boston's Children's Hospital for her high-risk surgery, which is scheduled for February 14th. Aubrey will also soon need spinal surgery in Boston sometime after her heart surgery, due to a rapid progression in her scoliosis.

To help aid Aubrey's family with overwhelming travel, living, and medical expenses, we are holding a purse raffle fundraiser with proceeds to benefit Aubrey's family during this difficult time.

We are accepting payments of $10 per entry into a raffle for this new Dooney and Burke Disney purse (the one available for raffle is pink- retail value +/- $155.00):



Payments should be sent through Paypal to cathy@cathyscreationsjewelry.com. The subject line must say "Aubrey." Please send your money as a gift, to avoid expensive fees (and because it is a gift! Thank you!!) All payments in increments of $10 will buy you additional entries into the raffle, which will be held Monday. There is no limit to the amount of tickets you can buy! So, for example, if you gifted $50.00, you would be entered into the raffle five times. Additionally, there is an Aubrey Hope Pendant available for sale through our website, with proceeds directed to the same cause, for those who would prefer to purchase the jewelry.

In comments below, please feel free to share love, support, and positive thoughts and prayers for Aubrey and her family during their difficult time.

Thank you!

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The winner of the purse raffle is:

Leslie Ann Clark

Total amount raised:

$300.00

Thank you!!!