Myla is only 2 years old, and her fight against a devastating vascular malformation has taken her family from Canada all the way to Italy searching for a treatment doctors believed could safely help her.
Look at that smile.
Myla is only 2 years old, and her fight against a devastating vascular malformation has taken her family from Canada all the way to Italy searching for a treatment doctors believed could safely help her.
And many of you will recognize this kind of fight.
We’ve followed little Lily from Louisiana, whose family also traveled to Italy for treatment of a severe venous malformation.
We’ve prayed for 7-year-old Ka’Vayah from Amarillo, TX, whose brain AVM returned after multiple surgeries.
And more recently, 15-year-old South Texas athlete Ryan Rodriguez, whose AVM was discovered after a basketball fall.
Now I want you to meet Myla.
Her mom Samantha reached out to me and shared that Myla has a rare genetic condition called CM-AVM and an extremely complex, high-flow AVM affecting the left side of her face and head.
As Myla has grown, so has the AVM.
Samantha says it has caused daily bleeding and severe swelling, affected her vision, hearing and breathing, damaged her teeth and jaw, affected her ability to walk and put additional strain on her heart.
All before her third birthday.
Her family says specialists in Canada believed intervention carried too great a risk of catastrophic bleeding.
But Samantha refused to stop looking for an answer.
Through the Vascular Birthmarks Foundation, the family eventually found Professor Giacomo Colletti in Italy and a treatment called Modified Electrosclerotherapy, or MEST.
Myla had her first treatment in March and her family says they finally saw progress.
They returned to Italy this summer for major surgery. Samantha tells me that during this hospitalization, her 2-year-old has endured that surgery and 13 additional procedures because of serious complications.
And somehow, she still smiles.
Myla is only 2 years old, and her fight against a devastating vascular malformation has taken her family from Canada all the way to Italy searching for a treatment doctors believed could safely help her.
And many of you will recognize this kind of fight.
We’ve followed little Lily from Louisiana, whose family also traveled to Italy for treatment of a severe venous malformation.
We’ve prayed for 7-year-old Ka’Vayah from Amarillo, TX, whose brain AVM returned after multiple surgeries.
And more recently, 15-year-old South Texas athlete Ryan Rodriguez, whose AVM was discovered after a basketball fall.
Now I want you to meet Myla.
Her mom Samantha reached out to me and shared that Myla has a rare genetic condition called CM-AVM and an extremely complex, high-flow AVM affecting the left side of her face and head.
As Myla has grown, so has the AVM.
Samantha says it has caused daily bleeding and severe swelling, affected her vision, hearing and breathing, damaged her teeth and jaw, affected her ability to walk and put additional strain on her heart.
All before her third birthday.
Her family says specialists in Canada believed intervention carried too great a risk of catastrophic bleeding.
But Samantha refused to stop looking for an answer.
Through the Vascular Birthmarks Foundation, the family eventually found Professor Giacomo Colletti in Italy and a treatment called Modified Electrosclerotherapy, or MEST.
Myla had her first treatment in March and her family says they finally saw progress.
They returned to Italy this summer for major surgery. Samantha tells me that during this hospitalization, her 2-year-old has endured that surgery and 13 additional procedures because of serious complications.
And somehow, she still smiles.
“She wakes up from anesthesia after her procedures and still finds a reason to smile,” Samantha told me.
She loves yellow, her Grinch stuffed animal, books, bubbles and making people laugh.
Myla will need more treatments as she grows, and Samantha says their application for out-of-country healthcare funding was denied. Her family is relying on its own resources and help from others to continue getting her to Italy.
Samantha has one message for other parents:
“Never stop looking for an answer. Get a second opinion. Get ten opinions if you need to.”
Lily. Ka’Vayah. Ryan. And now Myla.
Different children and different battles, but families who refuse to stop fighting for them.
Let’s surround another one of these precious kids with the prayers and love I’ve watched you give so many others.
What would you want mom to know?
For updates and ways to help:
Source: http://Minding Myla’s Journey
