Kaitlyn
Kouts, IN
Kaitlyn is 12 years old and lives in Kouts, IN. She has Axonal Guillain-Barré Syndrome. Kaitlyn was the 2014 Holiday Kids Campaign beneficiary for the Indiana region. The ATI Foundation provided $3,000 towards medical expenses related to her extensive hospitalization and treatment.
In October 2014, Kaitlyn’s life changed overnight. Her immune system was attacking her nervous system. After being air-lifted to Comer Children’s Hospital from Porter Hospital in Valparaiso, she was diagnosed with Guillain-Barré Syndrome (GBS).
GBS causes severe damage to the peripheral and autonomic nervous system. Over a period of days, it left Kaitlyn almost completely paralyzed with only the ability to blink her eyes. She required life-sustaining support until treatment could be provided. Plasmaphereisis, the only treatment option for her severe classification of GBS, continued over the course of the next two weeks. Her blood plasma was removed, cleaned of her antibodies, and replaced seven times. Improvement began and she slowly regained the ability to move parts of her body, breathe on her own, swallow and speak.
Kaitlyn will soon transfer to an in-patient rehabilitation facility for intense physical therapy to regain strength, range of motion and function as her nerves continue to regenerate.
The family will need assistive equipment and home renovations to accommodate Kaitlyn’s needs at home.