Transplant Miracle
Published: June 8, 2005
A little girl with a new heart is healing. Two year old Aryanna Wiebke received a heart transplant six months ago. Now the family needs help. Aryanna suffers from a condition that caused her old heart to weaken as it grew larger.
She spent the first year and a half of her life in the hospital. The family now faces more than 1-point-two million dollars in medical bills. When you see the smile on this little girl’s face, it’s hard to see what she’s gone through. It’s been somewhat of a tug-a-war her entire life.
“It’s amazing to me that we’re home because at the end of the month she’ll be six months out from her transplant and basically they told us that was how long she had left,” says mother Emily Harrah.
The family does qualify for a program that helps pay a part of Aryanna’s medical bills. They moved from Dubuque to Oxford to be closer to University of Iowa Hospitals. Both parents don’t have jobs. They give all their time to help a girl known as 213.
“That’ what number transplant she is. 213.”
She’s also this year’s cover girl for the Children’s Miracle Network. Aryanna has a long way to go.
Aryanna was in the hospital for so long that she never learned to eat.
She’s now hooked up to a feeding tube three times a day for an hour and then another ten hours as she sleeps.
“She goes twice a week to a feeding appointment and at least twice a month to a heart transplant clinic.”
Later this summer she’ll take part in an inpatient program that will teach her how to eat. This. as the medical bills add-up.
There is a way for you to help the Wiebke family. The Son’s of the American Legion Post 1976 in North Liberty are selling raffle tickets to raise money for the family. You can buy them during North Liberty fun days this week.
Many businesses have donated prizes and the drawing will be Sunday night.
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