Featured volunteer of the week is Mary Kate Brenner. Mary Kate is one of our newest volunteers this year and she joins our team as the Kansas State Representative and is also working on the Awareness and Fundraising Committee. She is the mom to angel Payton. We appreciate all she has done in Payton’s memory and love that she has joined our volunteer team!
My name is Mary Kate Brenner and I am the mother of Cherub angel Payton Nicole Brenner. She 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 we 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 we 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. She gained her wings on August 16, 2018 surrounded by her family.
I live in Olathe, KS with my husband, Jonathan and living daughter, Payton’s older sister, Chloe (3). I am the Kansas state representative for CHERUBS, on the volunteer, hospital angels, and fundraising committees. I am dedicating my free time to help raise awareness and funding for CDH in Payton’s memory. She touched so many lives in her short 29 days on earth and I want her life to make a big impact in the world.
