If you’ve been reading mommy23monkeys at all, then you know that I am a surrogate.  And the surrogate community is very small and very close.  Right now, we are rallying behind a very special little girl and she could use your help.

Hailey Kent and her twin brother, Ryan, were born through Gestational Surrogacy in Simi Valley, CA in June 2006. At 4 months old, Hailey was diagnosed with Acute Lymphocytic Leukemia (ALL) also know as Mixed Lineage Leukemia (MLL), a rare, aggressive form of Leukemia. Only 1 in 19 million babies are diagnosed with ALL.

At 4 months old, she started aggressive chemotherapy and her fight for life began.

In May of 2007, Hailey underwent a cord blood transplant, but it wasn’t a 100% match.  94% was the closest doctors could find at that time.  It bought Hailey and her family some time to look for a perfect match.  She has now spent the last 2 years in near isolation while her body deals with graft versus host disease.  This is where her little body fights against the mismatched donor cells.  It’s now effecting her kidneys.

Hailey and her family are in isolation.  They can not risk being around other children for fears of bringing home illnesses.

The doctors have told them that the best way to find a 100% match for Hailey is to have another sibling.  There is technology available that allows for doctors to perform tests on the embryos.  They will know before transfer whether they have a match.  This is Hailey’s best chance at life.

This is where Hailey needs your help.  The Kent family is out of resources for another surrogacy.  All of the money from Rick’s (Dad) job went to the first surrogacy and subsequent hospital bills to keep Hailey alive.

The amazing surrogacy community has come together to help.  An agency donated their services, they have pro-bono attorney’s and a surrogate willing to carry the baby for free.  But there is still doctors, medications, travel, IVF and more that needs to be paid.

Won’t you please help this family?

There is a benefit fund set up through paypal.  You can use the address:  benefitfundforhailey@yahoo.com

Mark that the donation is a “gift” and paypal won’t take out any fees.

To donate by check:

The check can be made to either Maria Kent or Hailey Kent, and in the memo line please write: Hailey Kent Benefit Fund.

Here are some more articles if you would like to read more about this beautiful little girl:

http://infertilityanswers.typepad.com/surrogacy_101/2008/05/hailey-kent-and.html

http://www.surromomsonline.com/support/showthread.php?t=121778&highlight=hailey+kent

http://www.venturacountystar.com/news/2008/jun/01/giving-birth-to-save-a-life/