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Donations Needed to Help Ruffins Family Pay Medical Bills

15:00 October 06, 2022
By: Tiara Perrie

A Chance to Help a Family in Need

New Orleans trumpeter Kermit Ruffins has recently launched a GoFundMe to help pay the over $60,000 worth of medical bills that has been accrued after his daughter's, Blossom K. Ruffins, extensive stay in the New Orleans Children's Hospital. The fundraiser has raised almost $9,000 thus far, with hopes of ultimately reaching their goal of $150,000.


One Child's Heartbreaking Story

Blossom was born prematurely at 37 weeks on March 24, 2022 after her mother, Harmonese Pleasant, had been shot in the abdomen while sitting outside her home on Treme Street, leading to an emergency c-section and prolonged hospital stays for both mother and daughter. While Harmonese was eventually discharged from University Medical Center where she was being treated, Blossom had to stay in the newborn intensive care unit (NICU) at the Children's Hospital for weeks under constant supervision while medical professionals closely monitored her breathing and feeding. Although she has since been able to return home with her parents, Blossom now suffers from multiple underlying medical conditions as a result of the incident, such as a gunshot wound in her chest cavity, a spinal cord injury that inhibits any movement below her waist, bullet fragments in her liver, and hematuria, a condition which is indicated by the presence of blood in a person's urine.

Blossom is now six months old with a staggering amount of medical bills, as well as health conditions that will require lifelong accommodations. Her family is now working to build a home that will have all the amenities Blossom will require in the future.


To donate to this cause and help support Blossom and her family, visit www.gofundme.com.

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