A Stem Cell Transplant for Owen

Owens Stem Cell Transplant Fundraiser

Join us in sending Owen to Florida for a Stem Cell Transplant. Owen and his family have been struggling with this unfortunate accident. While we are currently taking Owen to physical therapy sessions, neurologist visits and a psychiatrist comes to him, Owen isn’t seeing progress at this time. We need your help with a Stem Cell Transplant. Your donation will make a huge impact on Owens successful treatment. Timing is very important for Stem Cell treatment in Spinal Cord injuries. Owen is 6 months post injury, we need the Transplant as soon as possible. Studies have shown that Stem Cell Transplant recipients have the highest success rate if they are less than 1 year from the accident date. Your donation will directly affect Owens greatest chance to recover from this catastrophic injury by having a Stem Cell Therapy. Owen will go to St Petersburg Florida for the Transplant. He has been approved for the procedure, we now need donations for Owen and his family to make this happen.

This is a letter from Owen’s Mom (Jolene):

My name is Jolene Hansen. I am married to Jesse Hansen, we have four kids Macy who is 20, Owen is 17, Cael is 14 and Luke is 7. We have always lived in Council Bluffs. Right now we rent a house at 229 12th Ave.

On February 11th, 2021 my 16 year old son, Owen, was snowboarding on a hill by Abraham Lincoln high school alone. He was building his own jumps and practicing his snowboarding. He had my car and was supposed to pick me up from work so he was on his last jump for the day. He was doing a 360 and he overturned and landed on his forehead and crashed to his back. He instantly broke his neck. He snapped his C4 and his C5 shattered and left a cut in his spinal cord.

At first he panicked, he couldn’t move his arms or legs and when he tried to yell for help he couldn’t get his words out. The paralysis made it so that he could not get his words out they were too soft. So he calmed himself down and turned to God. He started praying and instantly felt a calmness come over him. He prayed that God would send someone to find him. Because of where he was at on the hill it was hard to make out that it was a person laying there. He laid there for around 30 minutes praying. 5 minutes after he asked God that someone would see him he heard a faint voice. At first he thought he was imagining it but then a few minutes later he heard footsteps. It was his angel Missy Murphy.

Missy and her daughter were on their way home from an appointment. Something made her take the scenic way home that day. And as they drove by the hill Owen was on she saw something laying there. She wasn’t sure if someone had just left their things there or what but she felt the need to stop and check because it was so cold that day.

She turned around and parked her car and walked the few blocks through the snow and as she got closer she could see it was a person. She said that she finally seen the flicker of Owens beautiful eyelashes. Thank goodness Owen was still conscience. He was able to tell her his name and my phone number. After she called the ambulance she called me at work and sat and prayed with him until the medics and I arrived.

I got there right after the ambulance. Missy told me that she had been praying with him and that he could not feel his legs. I really didn’t comprehend what was going on right away. Then the first responders said that they were taking him to the trauma center at UMNC. That is when I kind of realized what was going on and that it was serious. I saw Owen as they put him into the ambulance and he said I’m ok mom I love you!

Owen had surgery to try and repair his injuries but the doctors told us that they were not sure if he was going to ever be able to walk or use his arms again.

Please…..if you have the ability to donate for Owens chance to heal and possibly move again, we will forever be grateful to all.

Thank you for your consideration.

The Hansen family