Background
The Courageous Kash Foundation was created in honor and loving memory of 2 year old, Kash.
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Kash, was born at Johns Hopkins Hospital, in July 2021, to an extremely loving and supportive family. Kash was the younger brother to Ryder. Prentally, Kash was diagnosed with a congenital heart defect (CHD), specifcially, DiGeorges Syndrome 22q11.2 MicroDeletion, with Tetralogy of the Fallot with Pulmonary Atresia and MAPCAS.
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Kash spent a lot of time under the loving care of the Children’s Center at Johns Hopkins Pediatric Cardiac Center in the Pediatric Cardiac Intensive Care Unit (PCICU) and on the pediatric unit on the 9th floor. He courageously battled through four open heart surgeries, a pseudoaneurysm, 2 strokes and an insurmountable amount of other procedures and tests that would challenge his fearless spirit. Daily, Kash needed to be on oxygen, continuously leashed to an oxygen tank, receiving nourishment from a G-tube and around the clock medications provided continuously, by my loving daughter.
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Kash was able to spend a lot of time home between the second open heart surgery and the third where he grew a lot, learned a few signs to communicate, and a couple words, “Mama,” being his favorite. Kash learned to sit up on his own and was trying to crawl. Possibly his favorite person in the world was his brother Ryder, who tirelessly entertained him, making him giggle immensely. Kash loved music (especially music therapy at the hospital), Coco Melon nursery rhymes, and Mickey Mouse.
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Our family was blessed to provide care for Kash mostly 24 hours a day 7 days a week, while in the hospital, where we met many loving families in the PCICU also battling CHD. We found that the personal connections with other families and developing deep relationships with his medical team, to be extremely helpful on the dark days.
On Thursday, August 17, 2023, Kash saw the light and he took it, passing away at 12:43 PM in the Johns Hopkins Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PCICU). Kash was two years old.
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Kash taught our family so much. He was always filled with happiness and loved people. As a heart warrior family, we learned so much including how much support heart warriors and families need. The Courageous Kash Foundation was created to support our larger heart warrior family, to remind you that you that you're never alone. We are all battling together as a "courageous" team, with your warrior, trying to win the war.