I don’t even know where to start. My family got some of the worst possible news in 2022. I have a small family and even smaller number of family members with whom I am close. My Aunt Jane and cousins Stephanie & David are my closest extended family. They live in a smaller town in Western Kentucky. My Aunt is an unbelievable woman. Look up selfless in the dictionary and you will see her smiling face! She has sacrificed her life continuously for the needs of others, including raising her three kids as a single parent. Aunt Jane has been the primary caregiver for my cousin David who has spastic quadriplegic cerebral palsy since birth. With this diagnosis, David’s mind is clear and he is super smart, but his body has failed him. He’s unable to control any of his limbs and has difficulty verbally communicating. My Aunt Jane has spent 48 years lifting him in and out of wheelchairs, feeding him, taking him to work with her cleaning banks at night and even sitting through his classes to help him go to school. They have been joined at the hip since his birth and are best friends. About 10 years ago, my Aunt Jane was diagnosed with MS, a progressive neurological disease. It was clear she would have more trouble helping to care for David. So, my cousin Stephanie (his sister) stepped up, and they all moved in together with planning for the future and Stephanie knowing she would have to step in as the primary caregiver for her brother, David.

Here's where this story takes a twist. My Aunt’s neurological symptoms started progressing – thinking it was just the MS progressing, her neurologists weren’t super concerned. However, after some pressure from Stephanie and David, they switched to a new neurologist who did some new tests and diagnosed my Aunt with one of worst diseases out there – ALS. ALS, or amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, is a progressive neurodegenerative disease that affects nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord. People with ALS will lose their ability to walk, talk, eat and eventually breathe. The ALS Association reports a life expectancy of 2-5 years for a person with ALS and an average out-of-pocket cost of $250,000 to care for someone with ALS.

I’m raising money to help my cousin Stephanie to get the help she needs to care for not only my newly diagnosed Aunt Jane with ALS, but also for her brother David with Cerebral Palsy, who is dependent on Steph for all his care. Stephanie has had to quit her job to become the sole caregiver for BOTH her mom and brother. It’s just the 3 of them. Because they live in a more rural part of Kentucky, the nearest ALS clinic is at Vanderbilt Medical Center, 2 hours away in Nashville, TN. This requires more out-of-pocket expenses in gas, meals, and staying over night often. While there, Stephanie has to navigate pushing two wheelchairs in a large medical center. The money raised will go to help with these costs as well as medications, vitamins, hygiene supplies, airway tools to help keep her breathing better, communication technologies, special foods which are easier to swallow, walkers, wheelchairs, people to watch Aunt Jane and David while she shops, etc. They also recognize the impact all of this has on their mental health and stability and have psychological counseling for grief and trauma – all of which costs money. The list goes on and on and on.

I’m doing this because I know my aunt and cousins – they will not ask for monetary help, even if they are struggling. I’m also doing this because I love my aunt and cousins very much and want to help them in any way possible during these subsequent very hard phases in life. Please, consider helping out our family and donating money to the most wonderful and deserving family in their time of need!