Bowl Haven Lanes hosted a benefit Saturday, Jan. 31, in support of the Donahue family and their recent discovery of their unborn son’s condition.
Kennedy and Sean Donahue, of Alton, showed up for a routine ultrsound in November only to discover that their son, Baby Sean Michael, has a congenital heart defect called double outlet right ventricle (DORV).
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Slated to arrive in late March, Baby Sean’s aorta and the pulmonary artery are connected to the right ventricle in his heart, which is on the right side of his body. One in every 100 babies are born with a congenital heart defect, such as DORV.
Hundreds of friends and family of the Donahue family attended the event, participating in the numerous events. Over 60 teams of two bowled in the Doubles 9-Pin Tournament from 2-5 p.m. Nearly 50 baskets were donated from friends, family and local businesses that were raffled off and almost three dozen items were sold in the silent auction.
“I could not believe how great this whole thing turned out,” said Kennedy. “I couldn’t have ever imagined it to be like this, it’s crazy.”
When Baby Sean Michael is born, he will immediately undergo surgery and begin the road to better health. The total amount of money raised was beyond the Donahue’s expectations. Because of all the tremendous support and participation, $8,650 was raised to help cover the medical costs of the costly procedures ahead.
“We are just really touched,” said Kennedy. “It really means a lot, words cannot even explain.”
Though the road ahead will not be easy for Baby Sean and the Donahue family, all the love and support of those around them keeps a smile on their faces and faith in their future.
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