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Meet the Bailey behind Bailey's Butterflies!

We had never heard of Turner Syndrome until March 17, 2009. You see, that is the day our sweet Bailey was born. She is our "1 in 2,000"!

 

Bailey was tiny at birth, only weighing a little over 4 pounds, hence her nickname, Peanut. She had puffy hands and feet, a broad chest and a low hairline. The hospital's pediatrician noticed her physical features and ordered a blood test called a Karyotype to confirm her diagnosis. Bailey had heart surgery to repair a coarctation of the aorta at 2 weeks of age and we also learned she was born with only one functioning kidney. We thought our lives had been turned upside down, but in fact we were blessed with a miracle because we learned that only 2% of girls born with TS actually survive. 

 

In 2015, she was hospitalized with a kidney infection which caused damage to 10% of her only kidney. Since birth, Bailey has been followed closely by a team of specialists at the UF Health Shands Children's Hospital. 

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Short stature is a common effect of Turner Syndrome. For 13 years, Bailey took a daily growth hormone injection to increase her height because at an early age, she had fallen off the growth chart severely. There have been many obstacles Bailey has had to overcome throughout the years but with perseverance and resilience, she has made it look easy. Bailey is now an honor student in high school who enjoys swim and the Future Farmers of America Club. 

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