Every day Teri Hutchinson looks into her daughter BrittonB次元官网网址檚 eyes, sheB次元官网网址檚 reminded that medical miracles can and do happen.
Now Teri, Britton and family have another reminder, a copy of the program for the David Foster FoundationB次元官网网址檚 30th Anniversary 2017 Vancouver Miracle Gala and Concert, which features Britton on the cover.
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Britton was born with a rare congenital heart defect that, at three months, necessitated a heart transplant. The procedure was done at Stollery ChildrenB次元官网网址檚 Hospital in Edmonton.
B次元官网网址淭he transplant and surgical teams worked through the night performing the miraculous procedure,B次元官网网址� Hutchinson wrote on Facebook on Sept. 4, 2015. B次元官网网址淭he healthy new heart seems to be a very good fit and everyone involved is over the moon with how well she is doing. The heart could not have come at a more brilliant time, as little did anyone know BrittonB次元官网网址檚 shunt was clotting again and her stats were dropping moments before the surgery began! Words cannot explain our feelings and emotions at this time. We are overwhelmed and excited as a weight has been lifted.B次元官网网址�
Britton was released from hospital two weeks after her surgery. To help with the unanticipated costs of having to leave their Sicamous home to stay and Edmonton, Teri and husband Colin received some assistance from the David Foster Foundation, a non-profit organization that provides financial support for non-medical expenses to Canadian families with children in need of life-saving organ transplants.
B次元官网网址淲e were displaced from home and up in Edmonton for seven months, so obviously I wasnB次元官网网址檛 working and my husband actually did have work but he couldnB次元官网网址檛 work a lot up there while we were undergoing all of thisB次元官网网址�,B次元官网网址� said Hutchinson. B次元官网网址淲e got a little bit of help from themB次元官网网址� AndB次元官网网址� the first one to two years is pretty intense with appointments and different procedures and stuff. ThereB次元官网网址檚 a lot of travel B次元官网网址� we were going back every month for a number of months and then it slowly spaced out.B次元官网网址�
Since the transplant, Britton has grown into an B次元官网网址渆nergetic, busy, witting, funny and sometimes sassy little two-year old.B次元官网网址� Meanwhile, the HutchinsonB次元官网网址檚 have remained in contact with the David Foster Foundation, grateful for their assistance and supporters of the cause.
Earlier this year, the foundation reached out to Teri to see if they could use a photo she had taken of Briton on a park bench in Sicamous on the program for the foundationB次元官网网址檚 upcoming 30th anniversary fundraising gala. In it, Britton is holding a framed black and white photo of herself from September 2015, just before surgery.
B次元官网网址淚 sent it to them and they said, B次元官网网址榶eah, we can make it work and weB次元官网网址檇 love to use it if youB次元官网网址檇 allow it,B次元官网网址� and IB次元官网网址檓 like, B次元官网网址榓bsolutely!B次元官网网址�, said Hutchinson.
Later, the foundation board invited the Hutchinson family to take part in a special meet and greet with David Foster on Oct. 20, and then enjoy the concert on the 21st.
B次元官网网址淭he concert was amazing,B次元官网网址� said Hutchinson. B次元官网网址淭here was a lot of talent there, it was put together really great and it went quite lateB次元官网网址� Britton stayed awake for whole thingB次元官网网址�
B次元官网网址淚t was a really cool experience and obviously, that foundation hits us really close to home, even with our little bit of experience with them, just experiencing a transplant and knowing what we went through and what so many other families go through.B次元官网网址�
Teri was also thrilled that the gala raised $10.2 million for the foundation.
B次元官网网址淲e were there when they raised $10.2 million, which is an all-time high for the foundation and that helps an incredible amount of families,B次元官网网址� said Hutchinson. B次元官网网址淪o we got to watch the auction and the bids and stuff go for the donations, so that was pretty awesome.B次元官网网址�
The meet and greet was also memorable. While they didnB次元官网网址檛 get a chance to speak with Foster in person, they did get to meet other families with whom they could easily relate.
B次元官网网址淥ne family in particular was really relatable to us,B次元官网网址� said Hutchinson. B次元官网网址淭hey have a daughter, sheB次元官网网址檚 16 now, and she had a heart transplant at five months old. Britton was three months old when she had hers. So that is really interesting to see how well she was doing and they were really positive in telling us that they think thereB次元官网网址檚 a long happy life ahead.B次元官网网址�
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