LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- It's a tough sight for any parent as they watch their newborn in the NICU hooked to wires and tubes.

Shortly after Victoria Blackburn and her husband Brian found out they were expecting their first child, the couple received some hard news from doctors.

"We went in for a second genetic or anatomy scan and they noticed something going on with the heart," Victoria said. 

Victoria was 28 weeks into the pregnancy when she learned that her first child had a congenital heart defected called hypoplastic left heart.

"At first we were in shock, kind of speechless," Brian said. "We didn't really know what to think."

SHIRLEYS WAY HELPS HEART DISEASE BABY

Brian Blackburn Jr. 

"We were in the middle of our nursery and we were wondering what do we do," Victoria said. "Do we continue, do we wait and see what happens when he was born because they do prepare you for unfortunately, worst case scenario."

Baby Brian was born in February. He spent the first several weeks of his life in the NICU at Norton Children's Hospital. He also had one of several open heart surgeries before the couple was able to bring their newborn home.

"We were super excited, the day we were told we were finally going to get him, bring him home," Brian said.

But as Victoria put her career on hold to stay with the newborn around the clock, the couple worried about making ends meet.

"It's very stressful when you start to think about bills, and you start to think what is our life going to look like," Brian said.

That was until they got an unexpected phone call.

"We get a call one day and it's Shirley's Way," Victoria said. "They said 'hey we heard about your son's condition and what you guys are getting ready to face.'"

Since 2014, Shirley's Way has used charitable gaming to help families of people with cancer, and now pediatric patients too.

"The CFO is the person who reached out and she has a congenital heart defect and has experienced a lot of things that he's going to be experiencing," Victoria said.

So while the Blackburns are caring for their newborn, Shirley's Way is collecting donations and helping the family survive financially.

"We all pay the mortgage, the rent, the LG&E, the water, the things that people stress out about, you shouldn't have to stress about finances when you're sick," said Mike Mulrooney, the founder of Shirley's Way.

There is a sign in the front yard of the Blackburns' home to let everyone know Baby Brian is there.

"That sign has been out in our yard since he was born," Victoria said.

Inside the home, his baby pictures are a reminder that despite his condition, he is the heart of the family.

"We are very lucky to still have him here," Brian said.

Since 2014, Shirley's Way has given away $2,657,059. To learn more about Shirley's Way, click here.

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