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On April 29, 2026, our family’s world changed forever when we received the devastating news that our grandson Logan, a joyful, loving little boy with the brightest smile and sweetest spirit, was diagnosed with Angelman Syndrome (AS) shortly after his first birthday.
Angelman Syndrome is a rare and severe neuro-genetic disorder that will impact him for the rest of his life, affecting his development, speech, mobility, learning, independence, and ability to communicate. What should have been a season filled with first words, first steps, and carefree milestones has instead become a world of overwhelming grief for our family.
The medical and care needs associated with Angelman Syndrome are extensive and lifelong. To help manage the extraordinary and ongoing expenses, the Shanahan-Switzer family has created a GoFundMe to help support Katie, Alec, Liam and Logan.
While Logan is full of light and determination, this diagnosis has completely changed the course of his life overnight. He faces a future filled with daily specialist appointments and therapies, adaptive equipment needs, clinical trials, and constant medical and developmental support, all while Katie and Alec try to preserve as much normalcy, stability and happiness for their boys as possible.
What makes this especially difficult is that this journey did not begin with Logan’s diagnosis. Before Logan was born, Katie and Alec endured a life-threatening rare disease with their older son Liam. After years of medically complex parenting, fear, and emotional exhaustion, they are now facing yet another unimaginable challenge: building a future for a child with profound lifelong special needs while also making sure Liam continues to feel supported and able to enjoy the carefree moments that every child deserves.
Anyone who knows Katie and Alec know that they show up for everyone else first. Through Katie's nursing and nonprofit advocacy work, she has spent countless hours helping other families facing rare and medically complex diagnoses, often while quietly carrying the weight of her own challenges. Now, it is our turn to show up for them.
We are raising funds to help ease the enormous emotional and financial burden this diagnosis brings. As Logan grows, his lifelong medical, developmental, caregiving, and support needs will continue to evolve, bringing ongoing therapies, adaptive resources, travel, caregiving demands, lost work time, and other day-to-day challenges that come with raising a child with significant special needs.
Most importantly, our goal is to help ensure Logan and Liam live a full and joyful childhood and continue to grow up surrounded by love, opportunity and support.
Logan is deeply loved. He is resilient and already teaching all of us more about strength than we ever imagined possible. We believe with all our hearts that he is capable of extraordinary things, and we want to help give him every opportunity to reach his fullest potential.
Thank you for loving Logan alongside us. Every donation, share, prayer, and message of support means more than words can express.
With love and gratitude,
Logan and Liam's Grandparents
Mary and Robin Switzer & Vicki Staebler and Jerry Shanahan
What is Angelman Syndrome?
Angelman Syndrome (AS) is a rare neuro-genetic disorder that affects approximately 1 in 15,000 children worldwide. It impacts the nervous system and can cause significant developmental delays, difficulties with speech, movement, balance, feeding, and daily functioning. Although there is currently no cure for AS, ongoing research, therapies, and emerging clinical trials are providing hope for improved treatments and quality of life for children living with the condition.
To learn more about AS please visit:
