Brooklyn enjoys her day at fundraiser

Patrick Fisher, Staff Writer

Brooklyn enjoyed herself.

Jennifer Pickens was describing the fun her two-and-a-half-year-old daughter had during a Saturday, Sept. 13, benefit at Raven Stream Elementary School in New Prague.

Jennifer, her husband Nathan and their other children, Jacqueline, Zachary, Ashlyn, Kaitlyn and Bennett, also enjoyed themselves at the benefit for Brooklyn, who has diffuse arterial venous malformations in both her lungs. The condition is extremely rare in children. The condition results in openings in her lungs which affects her immune system, putting her at risk to illness.

Funds raised at the benefit will help the family with travel expenses to Boston Children's Hospital on December 4 where Brooklyn will have surgery to help her condition. The family has already made two trips to Boston, where small coils have been placed in the holes in Brooklyn's lungs. As she grows, scar tissue should form over the coils and the good part of her lungs will take over for the bad.

We were very overwhelmed by people's donations