Shelby L Ruhs

Shelby was our Valentine’s baby. She was born February 15, 1994 in Rexburg, Idaho. It was apparent right away that something was amiss. She was life flighted to Primary Children’s Medical Center in Salt Lake City with a diagnosis of Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome. This means that her left ventricle is too small and does not function properly. Our family chose the three operations to save her life. She underwent the Norwood Operation shortly after birth followed by the Bidirectional Glenn operation a few months later. She got the Fontan operation just around 5 years old. She has had multiple open heart surgeries since then, including one to fix an aortic bulge.

We have come to a point where her body needs more than rerouting maintenance to survive. Because of her heart condition, her liver is no longer functioning properly. Her body is retaining fluid and her quality of life has suffered. In order to receive a new liver, she also has to have a new heart so that the vital organs can receive the proper blood flow going forward.

Shelby’s insurance has approved a double organ heart and liver transplant through Stanford Medical Center in California. This Fall to early winter 2026, she will be hospitalized to receive her new organs. She will not be able to work or live very far from the hospital for an extensive period of time. Insurance doesn’t cover any of the expenses for housing, food, or transportation for her to live close to the hospital during recovery (a must) or for her parents to assist and care for her during this time. There will also be coinsurance and copays for this procedure as well as long term care back and forth to Stanford to make sure that she doesn’t reject the organs.

We are asking for help from all of those that know and love Shelby, John and Amy for any assistance that you might be willing to give to help with theses expenses. All expenses will go to medically approved expenses and is tax deductible. Please only donate if you can feasibly do so. If that’s not possible please share this page and consider sending a few prayers our way.