By: Keri Courtnage and Alaina Goldberg

Rachel Blotzer started “Love for Lucy” in support of her niece, Lucy Alice Montenary. She was born with Trisomy 18 on Sept. 22, 2016. Trisomy 18 is a rare genetic disorder which created a hole in her heart.

Despite the hole, she is doing better than other babies with the disease at this age.

The disease occurs once in every 2,500 pregnancies, and in only one in every 5,000 are live births, making Lucy’s life rare. Fifty percent of Trisomy 18 babies do not live for more than a week.

She is considered a medical miracle. The ultimate goal is to raise enough money for Lucy’s heart surgery, which will prolong her life.

“In the beginning, the doctors told us that they weren’t gonna give Lucy the heart surgery, so I was like no way. She’s perfectly fine, she’ll be able to survive. All she needs is this heart surgery for her to have a better life,” Blotzer said. “I’m not just gonna sit there and let her die.”

Blotzer said she believes Lucy has a chance, and this sparked her idea to raise money for the cause.

Blotzer included she feels a closer connection to them, like being their sister rather than their aunt.

“They’ve just always been by my side,” Blotzer said. “It just seems right to help.”

Blotzer originally began raising money in November through a GoFundMe for Lucy. They have raised $2,325 out of their $5,000 goal.

With help from her sister, close friends and family, she was able to raise awareness in the school. She has put up multiple posters and also has raised money by selling t-shirts, bracelets and beads of courage.

“Lucy is only five months old and already has two long beaded necklaces representing all of the hardships that she has gone through,” Blotzer shared.

Each bead represents something that Lucy has been through. The long list includes IV’s, procedures, CT scans, X-rays, ventilators and blood tests, among other things.

“The biggest hardship I have faced is balancing school, life, and a fundraiser. We want everything to be perfect and just right, especially the design on the t-shirts and the way we advertise the cause,” Blotzer added.

Blotzer said she plans to continue the fundraiser until the end of the school year. She hopes to also have an event after Lucy’s surgery to celebrate all of the money they have raised.

Junior Ava Hammill has been helping Blotzer with the fundraiser and said, “Right when I found out what Lucy was going through I told Rachel I was willing to do anything and everything I could for her. I’ve helped print and create order forms and flyers. I’ve gone and spent time hand making bracelets with Rachel and friends.”

Hammill also put together a video of everything that Lucy’s family is going through. She hopes the school rallies behind this cause.

“We want people to know what’s happening. We want people to support her. Mr. Aquilio has been very good with letting us hang things up and sell bracelets at school, but I wish teachers and students were more aware,” Hammill said.

Hammill added, “Lucy is fighting harder than a lot of people right now. She has three sisters that love her, a mom and dad and whole family that love her and we should love her too. She deserves to have people fighting with her.”