Gift helps 3-year-old with heart syndrome

The good news for 3-year-old Kaelyn Graham is that she’s growing.

She’s been in and out of hospitals since she was born, and she weighs only 27 pounds.

Kaelyn was born with Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome, a congenital heart defect in which the left side of the heart, including the aorta, aortic valve and mitral valve, is underdeveloped.

In spite of her illness, Kaelyn has outgrown the stroller she’s used since she was an infant.

She can walk short distances, but tires easily, and the braces she wears on her tiny legs are heavy and weigh them down, pulling on her joints.

A stroller is a necessity, not a luxury.

A recent gift from the 1/1 Adoption Committee has made it easier to take her to the mall and the grocery store, said her mother, Jolanda Graham.

When the committee learned Jolanda had been looking for a special stroller for Kaelyn, they offered to purchase it for her.

Kaelyn’s dad, Brandon Graham, is a major serving in Iraq with the 1st Battalion, 1st Marines, the company adopted by the city of Newport Beach.

The Grahams are trying to give Kaelyn as normal a life as possible; being capable of taking their daughter out in a stroller, not a wheelchair, is one of the ways they can do that.

The most important thing about the stroller, Jolanda said, is the adjustable footrest. It will move as Kaelyn’s legs grow longer, and will be able to hold her weight.

After undergoing a heart catheterization in November, Kaelyn’s lungs are healthier.

That news is especially encouraging for Kaelyn’s dad, serving his second deployment in Iraq.

The first time he was deployed, his daughter’s heart was failing.

“There’s better news this time around,” Jolanda said. ‘It’s good news, and there’s more hope.”

Jolanda cried as she expressed how grateful the family is for the support they have received from the 1/1 Committee and the community.

“I’m so touched that there are people out there that are just unselfish,” she said. “They give and don’t expect anything in return. I’m truly floored by the caring.”

To learn more about Kaelyn’s story and get updates on her progress, go to www.caringbridge.org/ca/kaelyn.

SUE THOENSEN may be reached at (714) 966-4627 or at [email protected].