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Bountiful Blessings for Mckennley

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Less than a week ago I watched my child shrink into a ball as her counselor and I discussed how she has been coping with strong emotions. My daughter, Mckennley, has been harming herself by clawing and pinching herself and banging her head against cement walls. As a parent you never want to hear the words "you need to remove any objects from your home that your daughter could use to harm herself." These words prompted action on my daughter's behalf.

I researched ways to help Mckennley and came across a summer camp program for kids with special needs in Sunset Texas. As you can imagine I felt a sense of relief that there is help out there for children and families like us. Unfortunately as a single parent I cannot afford this kind of treatment for Mckennley and there are no government programs for this type of treatment. So, I have taken upon myself to raise the money for Mckennley. We have set up a donation website and facebook page to create awareness for Mckennley. To get her into this program and to get her to Texas we need to raise a total of $3500. We are asking that everyone donate $20 to help get her to Charis Hills. If you cannot afford $20 anything will help and we are asking everyone to pray for Mckennley's journey and to help us spread the word to anyone and everyone.

Charis Hills is a Christian camp dedicated to special needs children like Mckennley. It is a place where she won't feel so isolated and different. A Place where she can be taught how to cope with these strong emotions that she feels. A safe Place, that will help educate us, giving us the skills to adapt a healthy lifestyle with whatever disease plaguing Mckennley. Charis Hills is the beginning of an already long journey for answers.

Mckennley's journey began on November 9 2001, the day my hero was born. At 9 months old Mckennley contracted bacteria in her ear canal which caused an eighty percent hearing loss in one ear and ninety in the other. After two surgeries Mckennley's hearing was corrected. At age three, in just a matter of a few months, she was diagnosed with ADHD, Oppositional Disorder, Mood Disorder, Anxiety Disorder, and Kidney Reflux Disease. After she was diagnosed we began behavioral therapy and treatment for her kidneys. From ages 3 to 6 behavioral therapy was a process of trial and error (mostly error). There were nights that Mckennley would be in her bed screaming and crying and I would be on my knees praying and crying. It felt helpless and excruciating, but, now we can actually see progress and the light at the end of that tunnel, a light we have not seen until now (8 years a later). At age 9 Mckennley had surgery on her left kidney which is now functioning properly. So, you see she has been through a tremendous amount of obstacles in her short 11 years. Because of recent events we have begun to realize that Mckennley may be high functioning autistic and we are currently going through the diagnostic process.

Now, I want to introduce you to my daughter, my hero, Mckennley. She is the most amazing person I have ever known. She is creative, kind, and so funny. She has this magnetic personality that draws people in and wraps them in a warm blanket, high fives them and releases them into the world. Unfortunately this is her least favorite trait due to the anxiety. She often wraps me in that blanket. She is great in a crisis, she remains calm and her little hand will touch my shoulder and she will always reassure me, "everything is going to be alright, Mom," then she will find a way to make me smile or laugh. She thinks her special talents are artistic but I know that they are magnetic and spiritual.

Our journey as a family has never been easy. We have always been searching for answers and now we are ready to embrace whatever or wherever this road leads. Getting Mckennley into this program is the next step for us. With your help and the help of others we will create the awareness and collect the donations to allow Mckennley the right treatment program. $3500 is our goal, $1450 for the Camp, $1625 for travel expenses (2 plane tickets for me for the trip to take her and the trip to pick her up, 1 plane ticket for her, hotel stays, food, and a rental car), $425 for incidentals and fundraiser marketing expenses. We only have until July 1st to collect the donations and get her registered. Camp Charis Hills would be such a blessing in Mckennley's life. Please help my daughter by donating as much as you can and by spreading the word to friends, family, and co-workers. Mckennley and I thank you for taking the time to hear and share our story.


Thank You,
Mandy Younce


P.S. Camp Charis Hills, a summer camp for children with special needs, is the right treatment program for my daughter, Mckennley, but she will only be allowed this opportunity if we raise the $3500. Thank you for any help you may have to offer.
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Donations 

  • fundraising
    • $10 (Offline)
    • 11 yrs
  • Wanda Davis
    • $5 (Offline)
    • 11 yrs
  • Casey Riley
    • $25 (Offline)
    • 11 yrs
  • Mom
    • $600 (Offline)
    • 11 yrs
  • fundraising
    • $240 (Offline)
    • 11 yrs
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Organizer

Mandy Younce
Organizer
Dothan, AL

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