Lucie Butler

"Lucie Butler was unable to breathe from the moment she was born. Although immediately intubated, the first 36 hours of her fragile life were unstable. She developed persistent pulmonary hypertension, and her blood/oxygen level remained dangerously low. Lucie was rushed to Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta and placed on extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO), a machine that did the work for her heart and lungs, allowing Lucie to rest and heal. She stayed on ECMO for nine days – she wouldn’t have survived without it – and remained intubated for a long time after that. The doctors at Children’s realized that she would need surgery on her diaphragm. After a successful procedure, and three months in the Neonatal Intesnive Care Unit, Lucie made a complete recovery. These days, the only things that get her out of breath these days are dancing and singing to her favorite songs!!"

- The Butler Family