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Rebel Rita's Roundup is a fundraiser event for Rita May, heart warrior. Proceeds will go to her many future therapies to help her thrive (but may not be covered by insurance). On July 3, 2021, Rita May was born and 6 days later, she had her first open heart surgery, a Hybrid procedure, that everyone hoped would help to encourage the left side of her heart to grow.
Her body soon told us that it wasn’t working, and on October 20, 2021, Rita was listed for a heart transplant. The CHOP Cardiac ICU was going to be her home for the unforeseeable future.
In the beginning of January 2022, Rita’s heart began failing faster than we could wait and Rita had to have her second open heart surgery to have a Berlin Heart or VAD placed to help get her to transplant. About a month after that surgery, she had a trach placed to help her get stronger to be able to accept her perfect heart.
Finally, on the evening of May 4, 2022, we received the phone call that we had been waiting to get for 6 ½ long months, they had accepted a heart for Rita. Less than 24 hours later, on May 5th shortly after 7pm, we showered Rita with see you later kisses and walked her back for her 3rd and most life changing open heart surgery yet, her transplant. Post-transplant wasn’t easy.
Rita was on ecmo for 5 days, a month on dialysis for a kidney injury, and her liver also took a hit…she had jaundice so badly that she looked like a bright yellow highlighter! But like with every other obstacle she had to face, Rita fought it in her own time and in her own way!
On January 31, 2023, after 577 days in-patient at CHOP, Rita May finally came home! In the year that Rita has been home, she has grown exponentially.
Child tickets $15: Venmo @Mon-ica_Hughes.
Aduls pay as you'd like ❤️
Available for purchase at the door: Food tickets, beer/wine tickets, cornhole & basketball tournaments.
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Event Venue & Nearby Stays
Bette's Family Fun Center, 2947 W Dutton Mill Rd, Aston, PA 19014-2842, United States,Aston, Pennsylvania
