A Benefit for Jayzelle

Photos and words from: http://abenefitforjayzelle.blogspot.com/

"On January 7, 2010 Jayzelle Aulelei Anderson Gututala was born. Although she was 4 ½ weeks early, she was healthy and able to go home with her parents. At Jayzelle’s two month old checkup, the doctor noticed her eyes were a faint yellow. Jayzelle was past the age of the normal jaundice that newborns have. A blood test was performed along with a biopsy of her liver. At 9 ½ weeks old Jayzelle was diagnosed with a life threatening disease” Biliary Atresia”.



Biliary Atresia is a disease that damages the bile ducts that are responsible for draining bile from the liver. Bile is produced by the liver and it is moved through the bile ducts to the intestines where it helps digest food, fats and cholesterol. Because the bile cannot pass through the damaged bile ducts, the bile sits in the liver causing the liver to deteriorate and eventually, the liver cannot work properly.

The next step was surgery. The Kasai procedure was performed to rebuild Jayzelle’s bile ducts using her intestines. Although the success rate of the Kasai procedure was only 35%, we were hopeful. So at ten weeks of age, our little Jayzelle endured the seven hour procedure. Following the procedure, Jayzelle seemed to be doing well.

Then at four months old she was hospitalized for cholangitis, an infection in the area near the liver. This infection caused Jayzelle’s bilirubin numbers to climb, and after being admitted to the hospital again on July 2, 2010 the doctors have decided that she will require a liver transplant to live.

Now Jayzelle must be put on a donor list for a new liver. Once a donor is found she will have to fly up to the Seattle Children’s Hospital for the liver transplant, where she will stay for up to three months after the transplant is completed.

Jayzelle and her parents Savannah & Sheldon have a large support system to help them get through each day but the financial burden is a lot to take on. To help alleviate some of the costs we will be hosting a benefit fundraiser for Jayzelle on Sunday October 24, 2010, 5 -10 pm @ Pipeline Café 805 Pohukaina St. Honolulu, HI 96813. Presale tickets are $20 and $25 at the door. Please contact Yolanda Anderson (808)387-4763 if you would like to purchase tickets.

From the moment Jayzelle was born she was so very precious to us and has brought so much joy to our lives, with her loving smile. Words cannot explain the feeling of holding her little hand in yours, with hopes that one day it will be strong enough to hold yours back.

The Anderson & Gututala family would like to thank you from the bottom of our hearts."