A 4-month-old infant from Virginia is defying the odds while living with a rare lung condition. Her parents are hoping for a life-changing donor so she can receive a double lung transplant at Texas Children’s Hospital.

Little Kylie Overfield has spent months in four different hospitals across two states since she was born. Kylie urgently needs a transplant. Her mother, Ashley Overfield, remains hopeful and wants people to understand the journey their family is facing.

“So many times, in the beginning, I wasn’t sure she would make it through the night,” Ashley Overfield said. “I would sit there holding her tiny hand in the NICU, wondering if she would stop breathing. It was incredibly frightening.”

This is the daily reality for Kylie Overfield and her parents. They are currently at Texas Children’s, holding onto hope every day.

Kylie was born in November in Richmond, Virginia. Her mother, Ashley, noticed something was wrong immediately.

“As soon as they placed her on my chest, she started turning purple. I became very worried and called the nurse,” Ashley recalled.

After visits to two hospitals, doctors diagnosed Kylie with surfactant protein deficiency—a rare lung disorder that can cause the lungs to collapse. Doctors explained that the condition could significantly shorten her life expectancy. Comfort care was discussed, but Kylie has already surpassed expectations, continuing to fight after four months.

“I couldn’t accept that. I didn’t want to imagine holding my baby through her final moments. As long as she keeps fighting, I’ll keep fighting too,” Ashley said.

So they continued searching for answers. Their journey led them to Texas Children’s, the hospital ranked first in the nation for successful pediatric transplants. The biggest challenge is finding donor lungs small enough for Kylie. Dr. David S. Moreno-McNeill, a Pediatric Pulmonologist, explained just how important organ donation is.

“Organ donation is incredibly important. It’s a selfless gift that gives families hope. For babies, this is an exceptionally rare procedure,” said Dr. Moreno-McNeill. “Without a transplant, these children have very limited options. A transplant offers them a new chance at life. It truly feels like a miracle.”

Kylie is one of just 20 children in the country currently waiting for a lung transplant. Without a donor, she may not reach her first birthday. If she eventually requires life support, it could also affect her eligibility to receive new lungs. Even so, her mother continues to hold onto hope, believing a miracle could arrive at any moment.

“I never want another family to experience the loss of a child. That’s unimaginable. But if they ever face that situation, I hope they can find comfort in knowing their decision could help save my daughter,” Overfield said.

Kylie’s parents had planned to get married last December, but those plans were postponed. They now hope to celebrate their wedding in Kylie’s hospital room at Texas Children’s next month.

Source:  Fox26