Hello friends.  Alistair has been struggling for some years with a brain disorder that we still don't really understand.  The biggest symptom we see is that his ability to regulate emotional responses is severely crippled.  This condition has had a massive impact on his daily life and self-confidence.  Alistair's doctors say that we need to see a specialist if we hope to make any real progress in accurately diagnosing and treating his condition.  We have been referred to one of the best centers in the country for the diagnosis and treatment of brain disorders, which happens to be relatively close to our home.  We hope to take Alistair there to begin his journey back to normal brain function.

Needless to say, these specialists don’t work cheap and aren’t covered by our insurance, which brings us to this fundraising effort.

This initial amount of $5,000 that we’re trying to raise would get us through the testing and diagnosis, and should cover treatments for some time.  Once Alistair is diagnosed, we’ll have a better sense of the long-term scope and cost of his treatment.  We’ll keep everyone up-to-date on his progress.

As a parent, it’s heartbreaking to see your child struggle with things that are so basic and easy for all of their friends.  We want nothing more than for Alistair to be able to live his life to the fullest, and to not be held back by his condition.  Alistair’s teachers often talk about his incredible communication, intellect, and potential.  He desperately wants to join a baseball team and move into the accelerated math program at school, two things that he is unable to do in his condition.  We hope to see him finally move past these problems so he can pursue the things that are important to him.