Charity Bingo to Benefit Aleina

611 Broadway Avenue,East McKeesport PA 15035

28 October, 2022

Description

Come out, support Aleina, and win some money and fabulous prizes! Standard bingo games will pay out cash prizes of $50, specials $100, and a $250 jackpot at the end of the night. There will also be additional raffles, 50/50, contests, and prizes - be sure to come in costume!! The ticket price is $40 and includes all bingo games and all attendees will recieve a Halloween treat for attending. Nonalcoholic beverages and snacks will be for sale throughout the evening. Bring your friends and family as it will be a fun night! Aleina has been diagnosed with a congenital heart condition and will need to undergo her second open heart surgery in November. This surgery and the care she is receiving at Cleveland Clinic is extremely costly AND it is necessary; it is literally saving her life. 100% of the proceeds raised through this bingo will support her care. Aleina's Journey The past two years have been quite the journey. If you know Aleina personally, you know she is a brilliant, strong, healthy, generous African American woman, daughter, friend, teacher, and more. In summer 2020, Aleina started experiencing severe and puzzling symptoms – she was tested for gastrointestinal and neurological disorders and conditions. After several diagnostic tests, appointments, and trips to local emergency rooms, no providers could confirm from where these symptoms were emerging. In late February 2021, under direct instruction from her primary care physician, Aleina visited another local emergency room and refused to be discharged. Within 48 hours, she was diagnosed with a right coronary artery anomaly. This anomaly is the 2nd leading cause of death for athletes, only 1-2% of the population are born with this condition, and this abnormality often results in sudden death. Within five days of her hospital admission, Aleina had open heart surgery and started the long road to recovery – or so we thought. After open-heart surgery in March 2021, Aleina remained diligent in following all the doctors’ orders. However, she continued to experience extreme chest pain, tightness, and exhaustion for several months and she communicated those symptoms to the care team. In fall, 2021 Aleina was diagnosed with an enlarged pulmonary artery, indicative of pulmonary arterial hypertension. This is a life-threatening condition with no cure and a life expectancy of only 2-3 years after diagnosis – This was a shock to Aleina and her friends and family, as she is an extremely active and healthy woman. As Aleina continued to share her symptoms, her experiences were continuously dismissed by the care team. This led her to reach out to congenital heart specialists at Stanford who referred her to consult with a congenital heart team at Cleveland Clinic. Aleina started her care journey at Cleveland Clinic in April 2022. At this point, the Cleveland Clinic care team has already confirmed she does not have pulmonary arterial hypertension – this was wonderful news! Her case is so rare that she continues to undergo testing. Aleina will require another invasive open-heart surgery by the end of this calendar year and recovery will take her through most of 2023. More about Aleina's journey and her condition can be found via her CaringBridge and Go Fund Me pages. Looking forward to seeing you on October 28th!