Donald Wyatt Keeton was born on 3/11/25. He lived exclusively at the Children's Medical Center in Dayton. He was 4 weeks premature and weighed 4.5 lbs.

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He was blind at birth, he had extreme difficulty feeding and was nourished through I.V.'s, and within days, surgery was performed to remove an intestinal obstruction. It was unsuccessful and required 2 more surgeries to complete the task.

Months later, while still having difficulty feeding, he was diagnosed with Alagille syndrome. Alagille syndrome is a rare genetic disorder that primarily affects the liver but can cause many other problems, such as heart defects, kidney problems, eye problems, pancreatic problems, delayed growth and development, etc. Often, a liver transplant is eventually required.

He will need to be nourished through a feeding tube and receive I.V.'s through a PICC line.

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Donny has been home for a few months, but will continue to need extra care. 

He can only feed through a tube and must remain plugged in about 20 hours a day. He still has trouble keeping food down. 

 

He has been seen by a G.I. doctor frequently, but this may be permanent. 

There are no plans in place for him to gain vision due to the risks involved with the current options; any surgery would pose a substantial risk to his health.  The parents suspect that he has "some" ability to see in one eye.  

He has grown to 14# (as of 12/10/25), and that's a great thing! He is a playful kid who loves being held.

The parents, Dereck and Jennifer, are presently being trained to care for him.

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Join us on June 13th, 2026, as we partner with Miamisburg Eagles #2306 for our annual Bikers for Forgotten Smiles Poker Run to help bring a bright spot to this young baby's life!