Give it up for Janie Rose!
Janie attended her first birthday party yesterday.
It was a special party indeed, for Janie’s family wasn’t sure Janie would make it one year.
“She’s my miracle baby in so many ways,” Janie’s mom Chasity Clark told me.
Centerville, AL’s Janie Clark was born January 8th, 2025.
Janie was born with Down syndrome and a heart defect.
At 3 weeks, Janie had open heart surgery at Children’s of Alabama.
Janie fought hard, and her fight continued when she coded following surgery.
“Doctors did CPR for 34 minutes,” said Chasity.
Janie was hooked to an ECMO machine- the machine did the work of Janie’s failing organs.
Janie’s right hand became necrotic- her right hand was amputated.
Janie kept fighting.
Blood flow issues resulted in 3 fingers on her left hand being amputated, several toes, too.
A huge wound on Janie’s right leg popped up.
Janie The Miracle fought on.
It was last November- 10 months after she was born.
Janie stayed strong as doctors repaired a hole in Janie’s heart.
Janie- who had fought blood clots- was given a new pulmonary valve.
And then, an amazing thing happened.
As Jake and Chasity took Janie home, their baby reminded them that home is where the heart is.
“As soon as Janie arrived home, she improved by leaps and bounds,” Chasity told me.
“She was full of life and learned to roll over and sit up.”
And just when Jake and Chasity thought they had seen it all, they witnessed something else that melted their hearts:
“Janie took a few swallows of vanilla yogurt,” said Chasity.
“It was the first time she had eaten any type of food” (Janie has a feeding tube for nourishment).
Yesterday’s birthday party was a celebration in so many ways:
Janie Clark has turned one.
She’s home where her heart is.
Her future is bright.
Let’s give it up for Janie Rose.
Janie The Miracle.
*Pictures courtesy Chasity Clark
