Born With a Tiny Purple Bump on Her Foot, Kristin Later Needed Blood Transfusions Twice a Week — Until an 11-Hour Surgery Changed Her Life

When Kristin Rotondo was born, the only visible sign that something was different was a small blue-purple bump on her foot.

At first, doctors were unsure whether the mark was anything to worry about. She appeared to be a healthy baby.

But beneath the surface, Kristin was living with an extremely rare vascular condition that would eventually threaten her health.

A Small Birthmark With a Much Bigger Story

Kristin had blue rubber bleb nevus syndrome, or BRBNS, a rare disorder that causes abnormal venous formations to develop in the skin and internal organs.

As she grew, the visible lesion on her foot became increasingly painful. Eventually, wearing ordinary shoes became difficult.

Doctors tried treatments to manage the affected areas, including sclerotherapy.

Kristin finally received her diagnosis at approximately three years old.

Hidden Bleeding Became a Serious Problem

Although some of Kristin’s vascular abnormalities were visible on her skin, others were developing inside her body.

These internal lesions eventually caused bleeding, leading to anemia.

Doctors first detected the anemia during elementary school. By seventh grade, her condition had become severe.

Kristin needed blood transfusions once or twice every week.

She would visit the emergency department, receive blood and return to school, repeating the exhausting routine as her family searched for a better solution.

Her Mother Refused to Stop Searching

Some doctors suggested removing affected sections of Kristin’s intestines through multiple operations spread over months or years.

Her parents wanted to explore other possibilities.

After contacting numerous hospitals, Kristin’s mother reached Dr. Steven Fishman at Boston Children’s Hospital.

He proposed a different approach: one comprehensive operation intended to remove the abnormal vessels responsible for her bleeding.

The family decided to proceed.

An Eleven-Hour Operation

Two weeks before surgery, Kristin traveled from Pennsylvania to Boston for extensive testing.

Her medical team used imaging and internal examinations to identify the locations of her vascular malformations.

Dr. Fishman then performed an operation lasting eleven hours, removing nearly all the abnormal vascular formations.

It was a major turning point after years of treatments and increasingly frequent blood transfusions.

More Than 25 Years Without Major Complications

According to Kristin’s account published in August 2026, her condition improved dramatically after surgery.

She no longer needed weekly transfusions or repeated emergency visits for bleeding.

More than 25 years later, she reported living without major complications related to BRBNS.

Today, Kristin is a mother of two and works as a special education teacher.

She continues to value her relationship with Dr. Fishman, who has remained a trusted specialist throughout different stages of her life.

Her journey began with a seemingly small mark on a newborn’s foot. Years later, it became a powerful example of why rare vascular conditions sometimes require care that goes far beyond what can be seen on the skin.

Source: Boston Children’s Hospital, August 6, 2026 — Living Fully: Kristin’s Life With Blue Rubber Bleb Nevus Syndrome.