Cecilia Raimondo’s Fight Against GBS
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Cecilia and the Raimondo Family Need Your Help
After feeling increasingly unwell for several weeks, on August 28th Cecilia was rushed from her home to Weill Cornell Presbyterian hospital suffering from intense headaches and intense whole-body burning pains. She was unable to even stand or walk. She was admitted immediately.
Following a multitude of painful and invasive tests, Ceci was diagnosed with a very rare and severe variant of Guillain Barre Syndrome (GBS)– an autoimmune disorder where the peripheral nervous system is being attacked by the body's own immune system.
Unfortunately, the diagnosis was just the start and, despite the best efforts of the doctors, the condition continued its devastating progression. The paralysis started in her feet, continued up her legs, into her spine and then into her diaphragm, leaving her unable to breathe independently. She was intubated and moved to the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit, where she remains today.
Cecilia is unable to move or speak; she is in intense and continuous pain. She is amazingly brave and resilient and is enduring all that is happening to her, but she is also anxious and frightened. The road to recovery is yet to start; it will be intensely painful, indeterminately long and the extent unknown. Once she is well enough to leave Weill Cornell, she will be moved to Blythedale Children’s Hospital in Valhalla where she will stay to recuperate for as long as it takes.
Cecilia’s parents, Veronica and Alfredo, have been at her bedside round the clock and it has been a truly heartbreaking and exhausting time for them. They are taking some leave from work and, while the family has medical insurance, the out-of-pocket medical costs will be significant.
We have created this GoFundMe so we can all work together to help Cecilia and her family. The Raimondo family will receive the funds directly. Your donation will be be used for Cecilia’s medical care, rehabilitation costs, travel expenses and accommodation costs.
Let’s remove the financial worry from these amazing parents and let them continue to do what they are doing - being by Cecilia’s bedside 24X7 helping her to heal and recover.
Cecilia Raimondo is 10 years old and has been a PS276 student since kindergarten. If not hospitalized, she would now be in the 5thgrade. Her brother, Christian, was also a PS/IS 276 student from kindergarten and graduated 8th grade this past June. He is now a freshman at Xavier High School.
After feeling increasingly unwell for several weeks, on August 28th Cecilia was rushed from her home to Weill Cornell Presbyterian hospital suffering from intense headaches and intense whole-body burning pains. She was unable to even stand or walk. She was admitted immediately.
Following a multitude of painful and invasive tests, Ceci was diagnosed with a very rare and severe variant of Guillain Barre Syndrome (GBS)– an autoimmune disorder where the peripheral nervous system is being attacked by the body's own immune system.
Unfortunately, the diagnosis was just the start and, despite the best efforts of the doctors, the condition continued its devastating progression. The paralysis started in her feet, continued up her legs, into her spine and then into her diaphragm, leaving her unable to breathe independently. She was intubated and moved to the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit, where she remains today.
Cecilia is unable to move or speak; she is in intense and continuous pain. She is amazingly brave and resilient and is enduring all that is happening to her, but she is also anxious and frightened. The road to recovery is yet to start; it will be intensely painful, indeterminately long and the extent unknown. Once she is well enough to leave Weill Cornell, she will be moved to Blythedale Children’s Hospital in Valhalla where she will stay to recuperate for as long as it takes.
Cecilia’s parents, Veronica and Alfredo, have been at her bedside round the clock and it has been a truly heartbreaking and exhausting time for them. They are taking some leave from work and, while the family has medical insurance, the out-of-pocket medical costs will be significant.
We have created this GoFundMe so we can all work together to help Cecilia and her family. The Raimondo family will receive the funds directly. Your donation will be be used for Cecilia’s medical care, rehabilitation costs, travel expenses and accommodation costs.
Let’s remove the financial worry from these amazing parents and let them continue to do what they are doing - being by Cecilia’s bedside 24X7 helping her to heal and recover.
Cecilia Raimondo is 10 years old and has been a PS276 student since kindergarten. If not hospitalized, she would now be in the 5thgrade. Her brother, Christian, was also a PS/IS 276 student from kindergarten and graduated 8th grade this past June. He is now a freshman at Xavier High School.
Organizer and beneficiary
Ashlee O'Neal Wolfe
Organizer
New York, NY
Veronica Brumley
Beneficiary