GoFundMe Des Moines: Lending A Helping Hand To Those In Need
Meet Lily, Alexis, and Ava. They don’t know each other, but these three girls have something in common: They’re following their dreams in spite of challenges no children should face, and they’ve brought out the best in their communities.
Lily Frank, a 7-year-old with cerebral palsy, wants to be like every other kid and ride a bike. Alexis Myers wants to see the world before she loses her sight. Ava Hutchinson, struck with terminal cancer, wants to spend the time she has left just being a kid.
Day in and day out, when faced with adversity, these tough kids keep pushing forward. And when Iowans heard their stories, hundreds of folks stepped up, opened their hearts and lended a helping hand during a difficult time.
Because of their generosity, Lily is riding a special bike of her very own. Over 150 donors made it possible for Alexis to travel to Germany, London, and France. And Ava celebrated her 11th birthday with the entire town of Bondurant, IA, receiving thousands of birthday cards from near and far, including a note from the White House.
We urge you to take a few minutes and read about these strong, inspiring girls, and we hope you continue to support their campaigns. The compassion and kindness taking place in our communities across the state of Iowa is nothing short of inspiring.
A Special Bike for Lily: On May 31, Dawn and Dan Frye launched a GoFundMe campaign to purchase an adaptive bike for Lily, a 7-year-old girl who has been overcoming obstacles since the time she was born. Lily has been through forty surgeries and lives with cerebral palsy, but just wanted to be like every other little girl: she wanted to ride a bike. Iowans rallied together to make it happen. The campaign raised over $7,600, and last month, Lily was able to take her first ride. Take a few minutes to watch Lily take her first ride on her new bike. WHOTV: GoFundMe Campaign Successful, West Des Moines Girl Gets Adaptive Bicycle
Alexis’ Traveling Fund: Alexis Myers was born with normal hearing and vision, but due to Autosomal Dominant Optic Atrophy, she has since lost her hearing and has had 2 cochlear implant surgeries. Alexis is now slowly losing her vision, but she’s not backing down. She wants to see the world before she loses her sight. She started a GoFundMe campaign and raised over $13,000. She’s traveled to France, Germany, and London. Read her full story here: Des Moines Register: Teen going deaf and blind lives dreams in Paris, London, Germany.
CF helping the Hutchinson’s: Ava has been battling cancer since she was two. Ava and her family need our support. ABC News in Des Moines has more on her unforgettable story:
ABC News: Strength For Ava
“Since she was 2-year-old, Ava Hutchinson’s life has revolved around cancer treatments. She knows how to fight and win; twice she beat cancer and was hopeful there would never be a third time.
“This past July, a yearly MRI check-up revealed what Ava and her family fear most. Cancer had returned on the stem of her brain and this time, there was little any treatment could do. Determined to never give up, she continues to fight while her parents are taking time away from work to spend as much time as they can with their daughter.
“Thanks to the town of Bondurant, they’re not fighting alone. To celebrate her 11th birthday, volunteers got together and coordinated one of the biggest birthday parties anyone in the town has ever had, complete with over 15,000 birthday cards from around the world — including one from the White House.
“If you’d like to donate to the Hutchinson family to cover medical and living expenses, donations can be made to: https://www.gofundme.com/helpingavahutch”
Collectively, the GoFundMe community in Iowa is making a difference. Whether it’s a $5 donation or a $1,000, you’re having an impact. You are changing and improving lives. To the GoFundMe community in Iowa: keep it up. Help your neighbors when they ask for help. Your support makes a difference.
