A Fort St. John mother has organized a GoFundMe campaign for funds to help her through the next several months in Vancouver as her young child recuperates from open heart surgery.

McKayla Ingram’s son, Kayzen, has been living with Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome (HLHS) since his birth and needed open heart surgery after he was born in 2020.

Now four years old, the little one has had three additional open heart surgeries since his birth.

A congenital birth defect, HLHS occurs when the left side of the heart is underdeveloped or too small, and can lead to blood leaking in the heart instead of spreading to other parts of the body, leading to fluid building up in the lungs or an enlarged heart, according to the Heart and Stroke Foundation’s website. 

This means Kayzen, who enjoys parks, video games, and “all things Paw Patrol,” according to his mother, must be constantly monitored.

Photo credit: GoFundMeKayzen.

“There are different signs you must look for,” said Ingram. “You need to look out for laboured breathing. He’s generally a lot more blue than your average child.”

“He usually has lower blood-oxygen levels. Usually, in a healthy person, it’s around 99 or 100. His are way lower than that.” 

Ingram spoke to Energeticcity.ca about complications from Kayzen’s last surgery on October 10th, which prompted him to be airlifted back to Vancouver in what she described as a “stressful and scary” time for her and her family.

“[This surgery] was a scheduled thing,” explained Ingram. “We came down two days early because he has to have his pre-op appointment the day before. He had his surgery and was doing really well.”

“Two days went by, and [doctors] noticed that his fluid buildup was excessive, so he was producing more than what he was extracting. He was put on a diuretic to see if that would slow it down. Unfortunately, it didn’t.”

“They had a chest tube inserted. He did great, although he was in hospital for a while.”

Photo credit: FacebookKayzen.

Discharged on the 19th, Kayzen travelled home. But a few days later, Ingram said her son “caught a bug,” and she noticed her son was very lethargic, turning colours she described as “yellow, then grey.”

Admitted to Fort St. John Hospital, x-rays showed the boy’s lung filled with fluid. He was then sent to B.C. Children’s Hospital in Vancouver, where further tests diagnosed Kayzen with a collapsed lung.

With another chest tube inserted, Kayzen now has been on forced oxygen, says his mother.

The campaign has raised $1,970 of its goal of $5,000, and local business owner Tammy Hordy of the Flower Hut is in the process of organizing a fundraiser for Kayzen. 

“It's all just a waiting game. It's all up to him at this point,” said Ingram. “He seems a little bit happier today, which is really good. It kind of helps us feel a little bit better.”

“We've had lots of strength and love and support sent our way. It truly takes a village, and we're definitely blessed to be a part of the one we have.”

Those looking to help with the fundraising campaign can click the link here.