#AngelsForAngelina #HelpAngieFran

My niece, Angelina Francesca, is a beautiful 13yr old girl who is diagnosed with cerebral palsy, mental retardation, mental & developmental disability, and she is non verbal. Angelina will be 14yrs old in October, she is currently 4' 9" and 73lbs, and her mother, Doreen, is not much taller than her. As Angelina has grown, there have been what her mom calls "episodes". These "episodes" include extreme agitation; self injury where she bangs her head or will throw herself back with no regard to her location; she will try to bite you; she will lash out at you by thrashing her arms or kicking her legs; she will try to grab on to you resulting in either bruising pinches or deep scratches; she will not only pull her own hair but will try to pull yours as well; etc... During one of these episodes last year, Angelina threw herself back and broke Doreen's nose.
Angelina's mom, Doreen, was diagnosed with Bilateral Breast Cancer (DCIS) in December 2016 and underwent her first surgery on January 3, 2017. She has subsequently had three more surgeries since due to complications, and has a few more reconstruction surgeries planned in the near future. Doreen has obviously had a difficult time working through all of this and the financial support she has received is minimal at best. Her mother, Barbara, has been staying with her to help with the day to day care of Angelina since she does require assistance with feeding, changing and bathing Angelina.
Currently, Angelina is admitted to Stony Brook Children's Hospital. She was brought there by ambulance Friday July 21st due to extreme and lengthy violent episodes that needed to be controlled with medication. The doctors are doing their part to hopefully find just the right kinds and levels of medications to work for her, but it has not been easy. Both Doreen and her mother Barbara have been sleeping at the hospital with Angelina. The Red Tape and Bureaucracy that Doreen has run into to get Angelina safely placed in a residential school is just mind blowing!!
I started this GoFundMe Page in the hopes that maybe, just maybe, I can help raise enough to keep Doreen afloat to pay rent, medical bills, and whatever incidentals come her way while she's going through this extremely difficult time. She is a single mother, raising a Special Needs Child more or less on her own, fighting an extremely difficult uphill battle to get the best care for her she possibly can. If you can donate even a small amount, it will be GREATLY APPRECIATED!!!! Every little bit helps... ANY little bit helps!!
Thank You