1-year-old girl needs new heart

Family, friends to host fundraiser at Colonial Lanes

ORLANDO, Fla. – At the age of 1, Scarlett Jaycocks has been through at lot, but it doesn't show in her beautiful eyes or big smile.

Scarlett was born last January with a congenital heart defect. Before she turned six weeks old, she had congestive heart failure and remained hospitalized for the first seven months of her life.

She had three open heart surgeries and an additional brain surgery during that time.

However, the surgeries did not work, and she needs a new heart.

"The donor process happens just like it would for any adult. Unfortunately, a life has to be lost for a life to be saved... which is difficult as a parent to imagine that some other family is going to have to suffer this major loss for my daughter to live. That's emotionally something that I've struggled with," Nairn said.

On Monday, Dianna Nairn and Scarlett head to St. Petersburg to Johns Hopkins All Children's Hospital, where Scarlett will be admitted and wait for her new heart.

The family and friends of Scarlett are hoping others can help them get results.

The family and friends are hosting a fundraiser in her honor on Feb. 25 at Colonial Lanes.

The proceeds from the fundraiser will help the family with costs traveling back and forth from Orlando to St. Petersburg.

The price to participate is $25.

The fundraiser is at Colonial Lanes in Orlando from noon to 4 p.m.

People can also donate to her GoFundMe page: https://www.gofundme.com/loveforscarlett.

Dianna Nairn said she appreciates the support and is hopeful about the future.

"Medically, all of the percentages and the probabilities are working in our favor, so we're just trying to focus on that for right now," she continued.