CDH International would like to welcome Mary Kate Brenner to our Parent Advocacy Board. Mary Kate is the Awareness Team Leader. With these new positions, she still volunteers as the Kansas State Representative for CDH International.
Mary Kate Brenner is the mom to angel Payton Nicole Brenner. She lives in Olathe, Kansas, with her husband, Jonathan, and daughter, Payton’s older sister, Chloe, and currently is pregnant and due June 2020 with Payton’s little brother.
Payton was born at Children’s Mercy Hospital in Kansas City, MO. She was diagnosed at 17 weeks with LCDH. She was born on July 18, 2018 via repeat c-section. Upon birth, the family found out she also had a VSD heart defect that was not diagnosed in utero. Within 24 hours she was placed on ECMO, and 24 hours later she had her repair surgery. She was on a roller coaster ECMO ride for 25 days. After a long talk between her doctors, they decided that it was time for her to come off because the risks were outweighing the benefits of being on ECMO. She fought hard for another 3 days until her pulmonary hypertension was just too much for her body to handle. Payton gained her wings on August 16, 2018 surrounded by her family.
Mary Kate dedicates her free time to help raise awareness and funding for CDH in Payton’s memory. Payton touched so many lives in her short 29 days on earth and she wants her life to make a big impact in the world. Outside of CDH work, Mary Kate is a stay at home mom and has a crafting and baking business that she runs from home.
