KANSAS CITY, Mo. — A Kansas City, Missouri, family's Christmas wish came true early.
After months spent inside a hospital, Shawn and Alex Mowrey returned home from St. Louis with their baby girl.
Early in Alex's pregnancy, their daughter Stella was diagnosed with a rare birth defect called congenital diaphragmatic hernia.
“All of her organs that belong on her abdomen, grew up into her chest," Alex said. "So when she was born, she was born with like only 35% of her lungs."
The Mowrey's search for a specific newborn intensive care unit took them to St. Louis Children's Hospital.
“When you have this defect, it’s basically like one of the sickest babies in the NICU," Alex said.
In Kansas City, the Mowrey's told 41 Action News, only two hospitals could help their daughter, but the percentage of survival for Stella was low.
“They only gave us about a 40% chance of survival," Shawn said.
Doctors at St. Louis Children's Hospital were 90% sure they could help.
“St. Louis just gave us warm and fuzzy feelings, so we ended up staying there," Shawn said.
After meeting with doctors, the Mowreys packed up their belongings in Kansas City, Missouri, and parked their temporary home nearby the hospital.
“Living in that small trailer for that long, you know, I’ve got a pretty decent trailer but it’s still a trailer," Shawn said.
Each day was a battle, but Stella won the fight. The Mowrey's will celebrate their first holiday as a family of three at home.
“We did Halloween and Thanksgiving in the hospital; we’re excited to do Christmas here," Shawn said.
As the Mowreys learn more about their daughter's condition, they are hoping to raise awareness.
To help support the Mowrey family, visit their GoFundMe page.
