Like other little girls her age, 8-year-old Kennedy Headlee is getting ready to go back to school, excited to meet new friends and can’t wait to do more activities, like gymnastics. But at the same time, she's facing some serious health issues.
“I have Cystic Fibrosis,” she said.
Kennedy was born with Cystic Fibrosis, leading to countless hospital visits.
Her mom said all things considered; she was doing well until she developed pancreatitis at the age of 6.
“Pancreatitis makes my tummy hurt a lot and cystic fibrosis makes me sick a lot,” Kennedy said.
Kennedy has been to the hospital numerous times in the past year alone.
“Kennedy has had pancreatitis nine times,” her mom Kirstin said.
But now, she is getting ready to face something few kids her age will ever have to think about, a transplant surgery.
“It’s called Total pancreatectomy with islet autotransplantation and Phoenix Children’s does not do the surgery,” her mom said. “So, she has to travel to Cincinnati Children’s Hospital.”
The surgery includes the removal of her pancreas, spleen, appendix and gallbladder.
“I’m not even ready," her dad Tyson said.
He will be traveling to Cincinnati with Kennedy, to spend 8 to 12 weeks while she undergoes the procedure, recovers and goes to post-op appointments in the weeks that follow.
“I’m still trying to phantom the fact that her and I are going to be living in Cincinnati, Ohio for anywhere to two months to three or four months depending,” he said. “It’s kind of going to be a day-by-day situation, after the surgery … after the transplant.”
While this journey has already been so emotional for Kennedy’s parents, she’s choosing to focus on the positive things coming her way.
“I’m excited because I’m having an early birthday,” she said. “Yeah… and I feel like a warrior.”
While Kennedy looks forward to not being in pain anymore, her parents can’t wait for a new beginning for her.
Following the surgery, Kennedy knows she will be a diabetic, but it’s something she’s OK with, knowing it will eliminate the hospital visits or even worse.
“The surgery is going to remove the opportunity for a pancreatic cancer issue,” her dad said.
With continuous support from family, Kennedy is ready.
“Mommy calls me her little princess… and Daddy calls me his little baby soldier,” she said.
Currently, Kennedy’s family is working to raise $75,000 for medical bills and travel expenses insurance won’t cover.
If you would like to help Kennedy and her family, just go to https://cota.org/campaigns/COTAforKennie
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