Team Julia Lani

As a dual military couple stationed in Germany, we were thrilled by the news in 2006 that we would be adding a little girl to our small family. Everything was perfect until the day she was born in a small hospital in Bamberg. We found out post-partum that she suffered from Heterotaxy Syndrome which includes many serious birth defects. She only had three chambers in her heart, four spleens, and biliary atresia which forced her liver to shut down. These were just some of the more serious problems. We were medically evacuated to Walter Reed Army Hospital 6 weeks later only to learn that her prognosis was grim. She made a final transfer to Children's National Medical Center in Washington DC for the first of her major operations. My husband, one-year old son and I had left all our belongings in military housing in Germany with the promise that someone would ship everything to us soon. Since we were on a medical TDY status, we had no duty station to call home. We were homeless until the Ronald McDonald House of Washington DC took us in. They provided shelter that we could afford and food when we needed it. It was a blessing to have a place for our son to take a break from the hospital and just enjoy being a toddler. Julia received wonderful care from some of the world's top surgeons. She was the miracle child that was supposed to come home. After her first major heart repair, she was given the clearance to receive a new liver. On Monday, October 9th we were informed by our social worker that Julia's medical bills had just totaled over one million dollars. The following Thursday we were told that she was doing very well so they pulled all of her main lines, including her antibiotics. On Friday she got sick. Saturday, her kidneys shut down and the hospital priest administered last rites. Sadly, our Julia succumbed to a hospital-borne infection that took her life on Tuesday, October 17, 2006. She died in our arms and was carried to Heaven on the wings of a butterfly. Although her life was short, the impact she had on our lives and the lives of others was significant. Because of her we have found new meaning to our lives and a passion to help others in need. Our goal is to ensure that no one will ever have to endure the heartache we suffered. Now that we are both FINALLY retired from the Army, we're very excited to be a part of the March for Babies this year in Louisville, KY. Please help me reach my goal by making a donation to my walk or JOIN MY TEAM!!!