CV NEWS FEED // A baby girl who was born with a fatal brain condition is now a toddler who continues to defy odds.
Her devoted Christian parents, a neurologist team, and an anonymous donor who covered her $47,000 medical bill just as her family faced a drastic financial situation have helped make that possible.
Millie Longhenry was born in Florida to parents Bill and Meg in 2023.
Diagnosed with alobar holoprosencephaly (HPE), a rare congenital brain disorder, she wasn’t expected to live more than a few weeks, according to Fox News Digital.
“God had something else in mind,” Bill told the outlet. “God had a different plan, and only God was able to really make that decision.”
Due to HPE, Meg said part of Millie’s brain did not develop, and the other part of her brain developed incorrectly.
“So there’s no division between the two hemispheres and the middle is hollow,” Meg said.
Millie spent two months in the hospital before receiving hospice care at home.
That’s when Texas-based neurologist Dr. Brandon Crawford, a specialist in non-invasive treatments, became part of Millie’s story. He reviewed Millie’s MRIs and saw a way forward.
Crawford, who works at the NeuroSolution Center of Austin teamed up with NeuroSolution Medical Director Dr. Marcella Madera to develop Millie’s treatment, which engaged natural healing processes. Fox reports that treatment has included laser light therapies, acoustic wave therapy, and reflex treatment that help heal brain-body communication.
Over time, Millie has begun saying words, including “Mom” and “Dad.” She speaks to her older brother, uses sign language, and responds to her name, according to Fox.
Millie is also learning how to crawl, which is a movement that’s “unheard of” for children with HPE to accomplish, according to Crawford.
However, in March, the financial hardship that was involved in Mille’s medical needs was becoming insurmountable. The family anticipated that they would lose the ability to afford to continue Millie’s neurological therapy, which insurance didn’t cover. Crawford told Fox that before the next round of treatment, his team prayed for God to help them.
Fox reports that shortly after, Crawford’s front desk received a phone call from a former patient of his who was moved by Millie’s story and wanted to donate an amount that was enough to cover the family’s outstanding balance for her treatment: $47,000.
Though the donation was initially anonymous, the family eventually was able to connect with the donor and thank her.
The Longhenrys told Fox that Millie still has quite an uphill battle, with more therapy down the road. Millie’s mom told Fox that, while the financial aspect is daunting, “there’s not a price that I could put on her life.
“I’ll continue to fight,” she said, “and do what I need to do so she can have the best life that she can.”
The post ‘God had something else in mind’: Florida child with typically fatal brain disorder is learning how to crawl, speak appeared first on CatholicVote org.