Rylee Lovett is a beautiful, happy six year old girl living in Saint Augustine, Florida with a rare congenital condition known as Optic Nerve Hypoplasia (ONH).  This rare condition, of unknown causes has left her with less than ten percent of her optic nerve.  Her endocrine system was also affected, leaving her with a daily regimen of medication and injections.  Since diagnosis at four months of age doctors have said that nothing can be done.  She would be blind with no hope of recovery. 

Until recently there was no hope of Rylee growing up to see the world in the way everyone else does.  Recently, doctors in China began using the blood discarded after the birth of a child to restore sight in children like Rylee.  This innovative transplant of stem cells, collected through the umbilical cord of afterbirth, has given other ONH children the ability to see.  It has even given one little girl the ability to recognize her mother’s face when previously she could not even see light.    

Please help to bless Rylee this holiday season with this same gift of sight.  She wants to see her favorite television show DragonTales, to take gymnastics with her little sister, and above all to see the faces of her loved ones.  Please help us meet our goal of $60,000 and send Rylee to China to give her the chance to see.  With your help this beautiful child can be lucky enough to get the priceless gift of sight this holiday season. 

Congratulations to the winner of the Hannah Montana raffle

Jean Bush

of Ponte Vedra Beach


I would like to thank the Diva Disciples, their parents and Chick-fil-A for letting us hold the drawing at their restaurant.  Also a very special thank you to Lynne Snead.

Thanks to all that donated and participated.  Please visit the China Blog page for updates on Rylee & her mom's adventures in China.
 

We are happy to report that we have set the date to go to China.  Due to all the generous donations and fundraiser support, the past few months we have been able to raise approximately $24,000.  As a result Rylee will be leaving for China January 12th.  She will be there for six treatments and will return home on February 15th. 

While in China we will be keeping everyone posted through a blog that will be linked to this site after arrival in China.