Ongoing Bills for Brenna (Autism)

 Meet Brenna, our 11 year old daughter.  Brenna wants to make friends and have fun with her brother and sister, to love others and be loved, just like any other kid. But Brenna also has autism, which affects the part of her brain that helps her to understand how to do these things.  Instead, she acts out in ways that are harmful to herself and others in attempt to gain the attention she craves.  The severity of her behavior has kept her from being able to play with friends, go on family outings or even attend church. After trying and failing at countless approaches/techniques for her Autism behaviorial challenges, we finally found help for Brenna and our family through Applied Behavioral Analysis (ABA).  ABA therapy is helping Brenna understand how to get what she needs without resorting to violence, helping with her Impulse control, and ability to interact socially.  And it’s helping us learn how to live with her more peacefully and how to discipline her in a way that truly changes her behavior for the better and opens opportunities for her. Brenna also has several other major challenges as well. She has epilespy, speech issues, and motor skills issues. In addition to these medical issues she also has a severe underbite that is requiring some extensive Orthodontia work to remedy.  She is wearing an Orthodontic Expander and will need Braces immediately following. We have been told by her Neurologist that he recommends she receive 20 hours per week of ABA therapy for at least 2 or more years.  This therapy in addition to her other therapies (Speech and Occupational) as well as costs related to her Seizure meds and Orthodontia Treatments are out of reach for us financially on our own so we are asking for your help.   These costs are way above our current resources to meet.  Also with Mom's not being able to work much at all due to Brenna's needs we are very limited in options to earn additional money.  We also have two additional kids that have their own needs on top of this who have do do without as we attempt to meet some of Brenna's needs the best we can.  We cannot cover all Brenna needs and it is overwhelming and at times heartbreaking. At a bare minimum it is costing at least $2000 monthly after Insurance for her Medical/Dental/Therapy bills.  The needs for funds to cover these expenses is always urgent. We are treating this as a yearly campaign going forward and this is for her 2019 needs. Your donation will help Brenna to continue ABA therapy, Speech and Occupational Therapy, Drugs related to her Seizures, and costs for her Orthodontia treatments. Any amount you can give will help more than you know.  Thanks, The McAfees (and Brenna!)