As some of you may know, in October of this year, Ashley and Ryan Bernaths 2-month-old daughter Lucy developed COVID and was admitted to MGH with respiratory distress. While at the hospital she developed Gastroparesis, (which caused an inability to hold food down), a feeding aversion, (an inability to accept food orally), and a secondary respiratory illness that required an extended hospitalization.
Little Lulu remained in the hospital from the end of September until she finally received her G-tube in December. While Lucy is home, she still requires full-time attention and the support of the Mass General Hospital Aerodigestive team to learn how to take food orally.
Lucy is still nurished via feeding tube, but is doing better. The Bernaths were finally home with their two girls and feeling like they could see the light at the end of a dark tunnel.
This week, the Bernaths were hit with the unimaginable. After a few days of limping around the house, Charlie, Ashley and Ryan’s older, 2-year-old daughter went to get X-rays for an injured foot. What was found instead was a broken femur. Less than a half day later, a doctor announced the diagnosis of Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia. Two-year-old Charlie has cancer.
While we know that Charlie, Lucy, Ryan and Ashley are strong and equipped to battle these enormous challenges, the Bernaths are undoubtably facing every parents worst nightmare and will need support from their community, friends, family, and strangers.
Please consider donating to help with all of the expenses that will be accumulated over the next days and months. Your contribution will go toward Little Lucy’s many doctors visits, (physical therapy, weekly nurse visits, and monthly visits at MGH to maintain weight and strength) in addition to the enormous financial burden the Bernaths will surely soon face in the wake of Charlie’s Leukemia diagnosis.
