Kennedy Hubbard is the typical 14 year old. She just started her sophomore year in high school and she loves to play volleyball and hang out with her friends. A volleyball net is set up in the front yard and her Dachshund Frankie is barking to get inside from the backyard. Summer is coming to an end and mom can’t wait for her to go back to school.
The Hubbard family’s vacations are a little different. Leanne Hubbard said that she takes Kennedy out of school the week before Memorial Day and spend almost a week in NC.
This past trip was their third year and they will continue to go.
“We take her out of school because for us to go on vacation at peek times, everybody is staring at you. It’s just not relaxing,” Hubbard said.
Kennedy was born with rare condition called lymphatic malformation. It affects her facial appearance, but it doesn’t affect her spirit.
“Sometimes it’s easier to keep your blinders on and not know things in detail,” said Hubbard. “It’s easier to see things on the surface.”
“Shine” is the word Kennedy uses, as an inspirational tool for Kennedy’s Cause Inc. It’s supposed to be there to let people know that inner beauty comes first — “Be kind Be proud. Let your inner beauty shine” is Kennedy’s motto.
Hubbard said that Kennedy went through so many surgeries, but none of them were successful. She spent eight months in intensive care when she was born. Yet, they are still trying to find a cure for this rare condition.
One surgery lasted 13 hours.
Hubbard said that Kennedy has scars all on her neck and under her chin.
“Because the disease is in the bone too, so a lot of what you see is her jaws over grown,” Hubbard said.
The initial plan was to have another surgery done where surgeons will remove sections of her jaw and pull it back, Hubbard said. The doctors were waiting to get her tongue taken care of first before they begin the surgery.
Once the surgery begins, Kennedy will be out of school for a while, but Hubbard wants to make sure she enjoys her high school years before the surgery begins.
“If you take volleyball away from her I think she is going to be a miserable child,” Hubbard said.
All of Kennedy’s procedures are done at the Vascular Anomalies Center at the Children’s Hospital in Boston. For emergencies, Hubbard takes Kennedy to duPont.
Hubbard said that they started raising money for organizations such as the Kelly Anne Dolan Fund, Operation Smile, the Dooley House, and Leukemia Lymphoma Society before establishing Kennedy’s Cause.
For a few years, Kennedy had birthday parties that raised over $20,000 to help benefit people with a similar disease. They had to stop the parties six years ago, because Kennedy’s older sister Casey was getting ready to go to college.
Recently, they created Kennedy’s Cause to help raise money for the Vascular Anomalies Center at the Children’s Hospital in Boston to help find a cure for lymphatic malformation.
Kennedy’s Cause is a non-profit organization that was founded to not only raise money but to help raise awareness of lymphatic malformation.
Hubbard and Kennedy make bracelets, sell car magnets, necklaces and t-shirts to help spread the word about Kennedy’s Cause and add to the donations.
All proceeds go to various organizations to help find a cure.
Kennedy is continuing to “Shine” through this whole process. She is looking forward to getting back to playing volleyball at the high school.
To find out more about Kennedy’s Cause and to donate, visit www.kennedyscause.com. You can also find the organization on Facebook by searching for Kennedy’s Cause.
