As 12-year old Gabby Barbre has undergone a heart transplant after being diagnosed with ventricular inversion, the Ebstein anomaly, and other heart defects, with the community’s help, Sky Athletics Cheerleading and Tumbling presented Barbre and her family with a $26,803 check to help alleviate medical bills.
“We would like to thank everyone who donated items for the auction and the chili dinner, as well as the parents and volunteers who donated their time in cooking and setting up our facility for the big day,” said Amanda Jackson with Sky Athletics. “The showoff and fundraiser couldn’t have gone any better.”
Jackson said the organization began planning for a second annual showoff for their all-star competition teams and decided to dedicate this year’s show to Barbre. During the auction and chili dinner, they were able to live stream the team’s routines while Barbre watched her teammates perform.
“We first met Gabby Barbre about a year ago when she decided to join one of our all-star teams,” Jackson said. “Gabby’s talent never went unnoticed. Gabby and her team were Level Grand Champions at Nationals in San Antonio back in March, and we enjoyed being able to experience that moment for the first time with Gabby and the rest of her team.”
Barbre’s condition was unknown at the time. However, back in July, Barbre began to complain of chest pain and was taken straight to the emergency room. She then followed up with a Pediatric Cardiologist and was diagnosed with many heart defects, including ventricular inversion.
As she was scheduled to have open-heart surgery on Oct. 19, doctors realized the procedure was unsafe to perform.
“The only alternative for Gabby was a heart transplant,” Jackson said. “After an eight-hour surgery, Gabby received a new heart. This week, Gabby began the recovery process attending outpatient physical and occupational therapy.”
A GoFundMe page was also created with the goal of raising $50,000. As of Monday, Dec. 7, more than $23,000 has been donated. To donate, click here
For more local news, click here.
