Two Twins, One Rare Diagnosis, and a Mission to Philadelphia.
Help the Pec Family Fight PDCD.
A 501(c)(3) Tax-Deductible Campaign
On October 23, 2024, Gary and Sarah Pec got the best news of their lives: Sarah was pregnant. Shortly after, they found out it was twins. Two beautiful girls. But what started as a celebration quickly turned into the fight of their lives.
The pregnancy was high-risk from the start. From diagnoses of brain development issues to a terrifying emergency C-section on May 30, 2025, Gary and Sarah have been in the trenches.
Sonia Jane (3lb 12oz) and Grace Anne (5lb 5oz) arrived, but the joy was instantly met with fear. While Grace stabilized, Sonia was rushed to the NICU, intubated, and placed on life support. Gary spent those first days running between his recovering wife and his critical daughter, watching a team of specialists try to save her.
The Diagnosis: PDCD After 19 days of uncertainty, Gary found the answer himself, later confirmed by the medical team: Pyruvate Dehydrogenase Complex Deficiency (PDCD).
PDCD is a rare metabolic disorder where the body cannot properly convert carbohydrates into energy for the brain and muscles. It causes chronic energy deficiency, developmental delays, and muscle weakness. There is no cure.
Sonia is a fighter. She graduated from the NICU after 77 days, enduring liver biopsies, G-tube placements, and a fundoplication procedure. But the fight isn't over.
Medical Complexity: Sonia requires oxygen, feeding pumps, and constant monitoring for seizures and infantile spasms.
The Hope: The Pecs have traveled 13 hours to the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP), a world leader in mitochondrial disease.
The Treatment: Sonia has been approved for a non-FDA trial medication called DCA, a potential game-changer that lowers lactate levels.
Why We Need You Sonia is "Sonia Unstoppable," but her parents need backup. The travel to Philadelphia is mandatory and frequent. The specialized care, the equipment, and the sheer logistics of transporting a medically complex child across the country are overwhelming.
We are raising funds to facilitate these life-saving trips to CHOP. We are raising funds so Gary and Sarah can focus on being parents to Sonia and Grace, rather than worrying about the next bill.
Gary and Sarah will go to the ends of the earth for their girls. Today, we are asking you to stand with them. Please donate what you can to help Sonia get the treatment she deserves.
