A Peachland family is asking for the community’s support as their newborn son fights to survive.
Steven and Heather Lazeski welcomed their second child, James, 0n Jan. 22 at Kelowna General Hospital. The mother and baby were healthy and were able to go back home the next day.
But a week later, James’ health took a turn for the worse. According to his aunt, Chelsea Hallick, the baby started crying out in pain.
“(He) suddenly felt cold to the touch, his colour turned grey and marbled,” she wrote on the fundraising page.
“After an ambulance ride to Kelowna General, he was confirmed hypothermic, with heart failure and was in cardiogenic shock.”
Baby James was immediately intubated and doctors stabilized him before transferring him to B.C. Children’s Hospital in Vancouver.
Since coming to the Lower Mainland, James has been staying in the pediatric intensive care unit, where he remains in critical condition.
“It has been determined that his heart is barely functioning.”
“His diagnosis still goes unknown, the only issue identified so far is that his heart muscle at the bottom of the left ventricle appears abnormal.”
The whole family is in Vancouver but due to COVID-19 protocols at the hospital, only one parent can be at the ward to be with James at a time. Currently, both Steven and Heather are on leave to be able to take care of the children.
The fundraiser has been set up to help them pay for both medical and daily bills.
For more on the Lazeski family’s story and to donate, visit their GoFundMe page.
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