Infant's double-lung transplant successful at Texas Children's Hospital
Baby Kylie's double-lung transplant journey
An amazing update to a heartfelt story we brought to you exclusively in March, baby Kylie at Texas Children's Hospital had a successful double-lung transplant, a rare and tough procedure for a child her size. FOX 26's Sherman Desselle spoke with the mother on the great news.
HOUSTON - In a heartwarming update to a story FOX 26 shared exclusively in March, Kylie Overfield, a seven-month-old baby from Virginia, has undergone a successful double-lung transplant at Texas Children's Hospital. The procedure is rare and challenging for an infant of her size.
Kylie's journey began with a diagnosis of Surfactant B Deficiency, a syndrome leading to respiratory failure, affecting only 1 in a million newborns worldwide. Without a lung transplant, babies with the condition do not survive more than a few months. Kylie was flown from Virginia to Texas Children's in January in hopes of finding a donor and receiving the transplant.
Dr. David Moreno-McNeill, a Pediatric Pulmonologist at Texas Children’s, emphasized the complexity of Kylie's case due to her size. He noted that such procedures are rare, with only about 30 performed in the country this year. Thankfully for Kylie, the hospital led the nation in performing the most pediatric transplants, according to the Organ Procurement & Transplantation Network, the country’s unique public-private registry for organ matching. Texas Children's has also performed over 100 pediatric lung transplants since 2014.
Finally, on April 17, her mother received the long-awaited call about a suitable donor. However, before proceeding with the transplant, doctors discovered two holes in Kylie's heart, requiring repair before the surgery could proceed.
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The operation, lasting over 12 hours, was ultimately successful, offering Kylie a second chance at life.
As Kylie prepares to leave the hospital for the first time in her life, Ashley expresses profound gratitude, acknowledging the sacrifice of another family in their moment of joy.
"I was so grateful," Overfield said. "But that just means a mom just lost her child at the same moment. I want to thank her. I would love to hug her and tell her how thankful I am."
The Overfield family's time in Houston has been challenging, but the generosity of Texans has made it memorable. Originally planning to marry in April, Kylie's parents postponed their wedding due to her illness. However, upon hearing their story, a wedding planner from Cleveland, Texas donated everything for their ceremony, including the dress and wedding cake. The ceremony took place inside Kylie's hospital room, surrounded by love and support.
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During the festivities, Kylie achieved a milestone: making a noise while crying, utilizing her new lungs. For her family, this simple sound symbolized hope and the promise of a brighter future.
"You dream about that for so long. You think to hear it when you have your baby, and you don't get to hear it. It's so special. It's one of those things you take for granted," Overfield said.
While Kylie and her family will remain in Houston for the coming months until she is cleared to return to Virginia, her journey toward recovery continues.