FOX VALLEY (NBC 26) — UPDATE: The family confirms with NBC 26 that Audrey will receive a liver transplant. This story is developing.
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PREVIOUS STORY: A Fox Valley baby is fighting for her life and is in desperate need of a liver transplant.
Ten-month-old Audrey Huss was diagnosed with biliary atresia and needed to undergo an emergency surgery to help fix her bile ducts that were not working.
@for_audrey Hey everyone! Thanks for stopping. Have a great day! #OrganDonation ♬ See You Again (Piano Arrangement) - Alexandre Pachabezian
According to the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, biliary atresia is a condition in infants in which the bile ducts outside and inside the liver are scarred and blocked. Bile can’t flow into the intestine, so bile builds up in the liver and damages it. The damage leads to scarring, loss of liver tissue and function, and cirrhosis.
Since her diagnosis, Audrey’s parents have been traveling to Children’s Hospital in Milwaukee frequently for further monitoring and testing as they knew their little one would need to undergo a liver transplant down the road.
Though the surgery was successful, her liver is failing and she has now been placed on the transplant list.
The requirements for a live donor has a strict criteria.
They have to have type A or type O blood, weigh between 75 to 100 pounds, be between the ages of 18-45, no health conditions that even indirectly affect liver and cannot be pregnant or within the last year.
With the holidays in full swing the baby's family says all they want for Christmas is a liver for Audrey.
Watch the video below as Audrey's family pleas for help:
Family describe Audrey as the happiest baby, full of smiles, strong and braver than any child should ever have to be.
“She just was somebody who always made you smile. She was just always content, smiley,” said Alyssa Larscheid, Audrey's aunt.
Right now the baby is currently in the hospital waiting a miracle.
"The transplant team told us that she will stay now in the ICU in the hospital until we find a transplant. So she’s there with my sister and brother in law,” Larscheid said.
And while they wait, family says it's been so hard seeing how much this has taken a toll on Audrey.
“She’s just really tired. Her body is worn out and she’s fighting really hard right now. We see her sleeping a lot and when she does wake it’s just amazing to get a smile out of her," Larscheid said. "Since she’s been born she is just the strongest baby, her strength is just beyond words.”
As Audrey continues to be strong and braver than any child should ever have to be her family is asking for compassion and support this holiday season. They hope someone can step up and give Audrey a second chance to life.
“There’s no better gift than being able to save someone’s life. So if there’s someone out there that can safe Audrey’s life, we just please ask you to try and help our family, help Audrey. You will live knowing you will save someone’s life,” Larscheid said.
Her family even started a TikTok page to help spread awareness and share Audrey’s story.
Here are videos that have been made and shared on social media:
@for_audrey #foraudrey #milwaukee #wisconsin #babytok #mama #dadsoftiktok ♬ original sound - Help me help Audrey 🙏
@for_audrey #foraudrey #milwaukee #wisconsin #organdonation #mama #babytok #dadsoftiktok #froedtert ♬ original sound - Help me help Audrey 🙏
@for_audrey #foraudrey #babytok #mama #dadsoftiktok #bonesday ♬ original sound - Help me help Audrey 🙏
If you would like more information or to follow Audrey's story you can join "Stay with Audrey Grey"Facebook page.
Family members have also started a fundraiser on behalf of Audrey’s parents, Travis and Kendra Huss to help raise money towards the countless medical expenses, traveling back and forth from Milwaukee and other financial assistance needed due to lost work hours.
Click hereto be redirected to the Go Fund Me page.
