Abby's Story
Winter 2015 • Designer Mary Jo Mundhal
Abby was born in China 15 years ago with a rare heart defect that will require ongoing surgeries throughout her life in order to survive. In China, there are few options for families who have children with health challenges and the only hope her family had to “help” Abby, was to abandon her at the tender age of 3 months, so that she would be placed in an orphanage where they could provide treatment for the severe pneumonia she had developed, due to the poor function of her heart.
She was adopted at the age of 5 by an American family who lives south of the Twin Cities. While she has been able to receive the care she needs, it was difficult to lose a foster family, language, culture and friends that were all she knew and loved.
Now that Abby is 15 and understands all she has been through, she is considering going into the medical field, so she can help other children, like herself.
In November 2015, Abby received a bedroom make-over fit for a princess! Wishes & More teamed up with Gracie’s Room to create a beautiful space that allowed her to have room for her art, photos, books and much needed sanctuary for her to spend time, heal and reflect on her many blessings.
Abby was born in China 15 years ago with a rare heart defect that will require ongoing surgeries throughout her life in order to survive. In China, there are few options for families who have children with health challenges and the only hope her family had to “help” Abby, was to abandon her at the tender age of 3 months, so that she would be placed in an orphanage where they could provide treatment for the severe pneumonia she had developed, due to the poor function of her heart.
She was adopted at the age of 5 by an American family who lives south of the Twin Cities. While she has been able to receive the care she needs, it was difficult to lose a foster family, language, culture and friends that were all she knew and loved.
Now that Abby is 15 and understands all she has been through, she is considering going into the medical field, so she can help other children, like herself.
In November 2015, Abby received a bedroom make-over fit for a princess! Wishes & More teamed up with Gracie’s Room to create a beautiful space that allowed her to have room for her art, photos, books and much needed sanctuary for her to spend time, heal and reflect on her many blessings.