Benefit planned for ailing Eureka baby

The Daily Inter Lake

The Eureka community has organized a benefit for Breann and Corey Brown on June 6 to help them pay medical expenses for their infant daughter, Cora, who was born with severe heart and liver defects.

Medical staffers at Kalispell Regional Medical Center detected Cora's heart defect at a check-up appointment after her birth on Jan. 26. At six weeks, she was flown to Seattle Children's Hospital where she was also diagnosed with biliary atresia, a liver condition, and received surgery for both.

Biliary atresia is a rare condition in which the bile ducts of the liver don't function to pass bile into the intestines to aid digestion. Bile buildup damages the liver, eventually causing it to fail, necessitating a transplant.

The Brown family faces ongoing medical expenses as Cora must have monthly checkups at Seattle Children's Hospital to determine if the liver still is functioning.

Corey works for a custom home builder in Eureka while Breann cares for Cora and their three other children: Isaac, 2, Roan, 4, and Anna, 5.

Clover Kincheloe, one of the benefit organizers, said the dinner begins at 5 p.m. at the Lincoln County Fairgrounds in Eureka.

"We're taking donations for dinner," she said.

The auction begins at 6:30 p.m. and features a wide variety of items, including a snowboard package from Whitefish Mountain Resort, many handmade quilts, firewood, excavator rental, a rifle, Grizzly tickets, antiques, custom stereo system, grass trimmer, snow blower, professional photo session, massages, golf packages, a skating party for 40 at Shady Lane, lots of art work and more.

Kincheloe said she would appreciate additional auction items. People interested in donating may reach her at Silver Fish Gallery (406) 297-7660.

A Cora Brown Benefit account (297-3116) has been opened for cash donations at First Interstate Bank of Eureka.