April was born in April 1991. She was diagnosed with biliary atresia when she was eight weeks old, and the Kasai procedure was done when she was eight weeks and one day old. We were fortunate to have wonderful doctors at UC Davis Medical Center in Sacramento, CA. April had two revisions to her Kasai, then closure when she was 11 months old.

We now live in the "Frozen North," better known as Wisconsin. April is 12 this year and attending a brand new Middle School, where she is in the 6th grade. She does well in school and has many friends. She always has a bright smile on her face. She is positive and enthusiastic about life and loves to get involved with anything she has time for. She was elected Treasurer of the Drama Club and is an up and coming "Drama Queen." She's also on the Dance Team and she's the only 6th grade oboe player in the school band. She loves playing the oboe, which is a unique and unusual instrument. I think that is why she chose it and her band teacher tells me she is a natural.

April's health is excellent. Her annual blood tests show that everything is normal. We call April our walking, talking miracle and we truly believe that's what she is. April is growing at a normal rate. She complains that she's too short, but actually she is just right. April is very good about remembering to take her URSO pills and her vitamins every day.

April has a big brother, Jeff who is 15 and a big sister Julie, who is 13. Her best pal is our two-year-old Cairn terrier "Dodger." My husband, Mike, and I often think back on the time when April was so sick. We were very young parents -- April's brother was only 3 and her sister was 22 months. Sometimes we are amazed that we survived that very difficult time in our lives. But we learned to take one day at a time and to be grateful for each and every one of those days. We also learned what we would be willing to sacrifice if we could just keep April in our lives. That experience helped us to grow and strengthened and bonded our family together forever.

Earlier this year while visiting California we stopped by the UCD Medical Center and we were able to visit with some of the nurses that took such good care of April. The tears flowed as we thanked them for all they did for our baby. There were tears in their eyes too as they remembered what a sick baby she was and then to see her now, the picture of good health. They said it reminded them of the reason they come to work everyday -- to help kids get better.

April has expressed a desire to help other kids with biliary atresia. She says she wants to be an inspiration to the parents who are sad because their baby is sick. I told her that is what the CLASS web site is all about and that we are on a list so that we can be supportive of any family who lives close to us. She thought that was great.