Wayland Board of Education member Pete Zondervan and his wife, Kristiana Kay, continue to deal with their daughter Kinsley’s serious health issues since she was born last Sept. 3.

Kinsley, born with a ventrical septum defect, has undergone two complicated surgeries, the latest this week. She was born with a small hole in her heart that doctors had hoped would close up, but instead it grew, causing heart failure. Doctors rushed her to emergency surgery the day after she was born. and installed a pulmonary band to buy time for major open heart surgery this week when she was bigger and stronger. During her first procedure they found the aortic arch, which feeds the blood to the brain and extremities, was too narrow.

Kinsley, coming out of her second procedure, is not getting rid of fluids and her left lung collapsed. She is on steroids and oxycontin for relief from pain.

Though both parents have insurance, they have exhausted sick days for work. Kristi, a third grade teacher at Steeby Elementary in Wayland, now has to pay for her sub out of her own pocket. There also are transportation, meal, day care needs for Kinsley’s  brother and other medical costs.

So the Zondervans reluctantly now are turning to gofundme.com for help from friends and the public. Anyone who is interested in making a contribution can visit the web site at https://www.gofundme.com/nkxz5h8s

PHOTO: Wayland teacher Kristiana Kay, wife of school board member Pete Zondervan, with her daughter, Kinsley, at Helen DeVos Children’s Hospital in Grand Rapids.