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EXTREME MAKEOVER: HOME EDITION
Air Date: Sunday, March 14, 2010
Time Slot: 8:00 PM-9:00 PM EST on ABC
Episode Title: (#718) "Skaggs Family"
[NOTE: The following article is a press release issued by the aforementioned network and/or company. Any errors, typos, etc. are attributed to the original author. The release is reproduced solely for the dissemination of the enclosed information.]

"EXTREME MAKEOVER: HOME EDITION" REBUILDS THE HOME OF A FAMILY WHOSE SON SURVIVED A HEART TRANSPLANT AS AN INFANT BUT FACES A LIFETIME OF REHABILITATION

Jillian Harris, Star of ABC's "The Bachelorette," Joins the Design Team

"Skaggs family" -- On February 1, 2010, "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition" traveled to Slaughterville, OK to meet Brian and Audra Skaggs, whose son, Jhett, survived a heart transplant at just 10 months of age. Although he's made incredible progress over the past two years, the poor condition of the family's moldy, rotting, termite-ridden home poses serious risks to Jhett's weakened immune system. In only seven days, team leader Ty Pennington, the design team, plus celebrity guest designer Jillian Harris of ABC's "The Bachelorette" will help build a safe and healthy home. "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition" airs SUNDAY, MARCH 14 (8:00-9:00 p.m., ET) on the ABC Television Network.

In 2007 Brian and Audra were blessed with the birth of their second child, Jhett. Later that year they began to notice that something was very wrong with their infant son. He was lethargic, constantly crying, losing weight, and stopped breathing on two occasions, so that Brian and Audra had to perform CPR to save his life. After extensive tests, Brian and Audra were told that Jhett needed a heart transplant. Because he was so young and had already suffered multiple cardiac arrests, his chances of survival were very slim. Miraculously, an organ donor was found and, at just 10-month-old, Jhett received a new heart. Now two years later, Jhett runs and plays like any two-year-old boy, but he faces a lifetime of treatment. In addition to requiring numerous trips to Houston each month for check-ups, his daily regimen includes a series of medications and his weakened immune system leaves him very susceptible to mold, germs and illness. Jhett's new heart will last for up to 15 years, so Brian, 38, and Audra, 27, are doing what little they can to prepare for another transplant down the road. Unfortunately, Audra's income as a pre-school teacher, coupled with Brian's income as a cattle rancher, cannot cover the mounting medical bills and needed home repairs. Now it's up to the "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition" team and hundreds of local volunteers to build a new home that will allow this family to take care of their son and do their best to prepare for his future.

This episode of "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition" features team leader Ty Pennington and designer Michael Moloney, plus Xzibit returns, and celebrity guest designer Jillian Harris (ABC's "The Bachelorette") and viewer volunteers Tanya Medina and Santino Hernandez all help out in rebuilding the Skaggs home. The series is produced by Endemol USA, a division of Endemol Holding. It is executive-produced by Anthony Dominici. David Goldberg is Chairman, Endemol North America. "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition" is broadcast with Spanish subtitles via secondary closed captioning. This program carries a TV-PG parental guideline.

For more information on "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition," visit ABC.com

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