Help Diego Keep Smiling!
Donation protected
This page is for my friend Diego. He is ten years old, and he has Cerebral Palsy. Diego's medical needs have come to exceed what his father, my very good friend Gerardo, can meet even working 7 days a week for the past decade! Gerardo, or as we call him at work 'Gerry', is the most hard working and positive person I know despite enormous hardship. He inspires everyone who knows him every single day. And while Gerry works long days 7 days per week, his wife Gaby carries Diego down the stairs from their second floor apartment each day to the school bus, bathes him, feeds him, and cares for their gorgeous and sweet daughter Camila. When Gerry has time off? It is always with his children, there is no more proud papa on earth.
Here is some background on Cerebral Palsy, Diego, and this inspiring family:
Cerebral Palsy is a non-degenerative disorder of movement that is caused by injury or abnormal development of a person's immature brain, usually before birth. It's effects on the condition of life vary greatly. My friend Diego has a severe form of CB, and his life is extremely difficult. However, I have never seen this child without a smile on his face. He is full of laughter and is a bright and loving child, even when his condition makes even the simplest task monumentally difficult or impossible.
I offered to set this site up for my friend Gerardo and his lovely wife, Gaby, because I don't know two more loving or supportive parents and they, very simply, need help. I asked Gerry to write a short history of Diego and their family for you in his native Spanish so he could be as eloquent as he wanted, and I translated it as best I could:
From Diego's Proud Papa:
(The swings always make Diego feel like laughing)
Thank you for reading this. Diego is a 10 year old who has cerebral palsy, he has gone through many challenges and difficulties since he was born. He was operated on for his lungs and was for three months in intensive care at the hospital, since then every day is a miracle. The paralysis is severe because he has central brain damage which prevents him from walking or sitting by himself... elasticity remains very tense with the risk of deformation of the bones and muscles, so they have operated on his legs and feet for stretching tendons to allow greater flexibility.
New York has been a wonderful place for Diego to live a full life and is full of opportunities. For 8 years we have been here and with the support of a cultural exchange Visa with the State University of New York (SUNY) and educational and health resources, Diego is going to a regular school in the 5th grade in Brooklyn (the 771K @ 329 Coney Island) with an inclusion program. The maximum benefit is that the system can offer therapies and educational services and Diego really is a happy and integrated child.
(Diego loves school!)
Now the economy and our immigration status have put us in a more complicated scenario; Diego needs an operation on his legs and in his midsection where the doctor must fracture both bones in order to reset them so that they grow and flex properly... However, both operations are outside the scope of health insurance with Diego's State account. So we are working on therapeutic alternatives, meanwhile, and to get the resources needed to perform the operations. When we know more about the exact cost (our deductible is looking to be over $20,000) and the hospital who will perform it, we may add it to our goal on this wonderful site, but until then any help with Diego's care and needed equipment is more than we could hope for. We never stopped fighting and the money can not be an obstacle to see Diego every day better!
Despite his physical disabilities; Diego is growing at almost normal size, so all rehabilitation equipment and mobility will be obsolete. If Diego was born in this country, he could have access to many economic supports for rehabilitation, care and mobility, in addition to their medical needs.
However, our reality is different- Diego was 2 when we came here- and most of my annual salary is solely to give a part of all the resources he needs, the truth is that there is never enough to support a family and meet all those needs. In Mexico there are no resources or education or appropriate medical care for people like Diego, but in this country where there are those things I can only earn so much.
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Here is a link to some of the things Diego needs this year:
http://www.especialneeds.com/commodes-tumble-forms-carrie-potty-seat.html This is what allows someone with the muscular and bone problems Diego has to go to the bathroom safely and comfortably... and it is $1529.95
And this below? Here is what it does: Adult mobility is crucial whether it be in rehabilitation therapy or adult dayhab. Use of an adult gait trainer can improve client's social interaction, muscle strength and lung function, as well as decreasing the risk of skin breakdown.
After adding the needed accessories to help Diego walk, this will cost his family over $5100. http://www.rifton.com/products/mobility/pacergaittrainers/K504.html
Diego also needs a new bathchair to allow his mother to wash him safely:http://www.rifton.com/products/hygiene/bathchairs/E543.html
After accessories, it will be over $720.00.
Ideally, given the severity of the problems with Diego's legs, he will be able to do his physical therapy on this with the help of Gerry and Gaby steering behind him:
http://www.amtrykestore.org/Rear_Steering_ProSeries-ProSeries_1516_W_Rear_Steering_Control.htmlIt's $1249.00
Items like this are not covered by Diego's state insurance, and he needs them in order to maintain his health and his life.
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More from Gerry, Diego's dad:
We are a family who came to New York, not for the American dream, but for the dream of seeing Diego grow and have an opportunity for a full life. We sacrificed both our successful professions (I was a lawyer in Mexico), family and friends in Mexico and came to New York to start from scratch, despite a different culture, language, idiosyncrasies ... We are now stronger and more united than ever, we study English every day and make such an effort to integrate. Camila, who is Diego's 7 year old sister, is a wonderful sister, daughter and companion of battle, is very aware and mature about the situation, to my outstanding pride. My wife Gaby is a wonderful mother, who with love and dedication makes every day that Diego is a child full, loving, intelligent and very polite and grateful. My part in this effort is summarized in work and in providing, sometimes less than well enough but always with all my love, working for 8 years, 7 days a week and try to give them the love and quality time and more that one can offer.
The truth is that I'm never sure of the outcome but this is one more effort to put aside my pride and allow other people of good will to help Diego to maintain their own light.
Sincerely
Gerardo Muñoz
e-mail: [email redacted]
Videos to be posted soon!
Here is some background on Cerebral Palsy, Diego, and this inspiring family:
Cerebral Palsy is a non-degenerative disorder of movement that is caused by injury or abnormal development of a person's immature brain, usually before birth. It's effects on the condition of life vary greatly. My friend Diego has a severe form of CB, and his life is extremely difficult. However, I have never seen this child without a smile on his face. He is full of laughter and is a bright and loving child, even when his condition makes even the simplest task monumentally difficult or impossible.
I offered to set this site up for my friend Gerardo and his lovely wife, Gaby, because I don't know two more loving or supportive parents and they, very simply, need help. I asked Gerry to write a short history of Diego and their family for you in his native Spanish so he could be as eloquent as he wanted, and I translated it as best I could:
From Diego's Proud Papa:
(The swings always make Diego feel like laughing)
Thank you for reading this. Diego is a 10 year old who has cerebral palsy, he has gone through many challenges and difficulties since he was born. He was operated on for his lungs and was for three months in intensive care at the hospital, since then every day is a miracle. The paralysis is severe because he has central brain damage which prevents him from walking or sitting by himself... elasticity remains very tense with the risk of deformation of the bones and muscles, so they have operated on his legs and feet for stretching tendons to allow greater flexibility.
New York has been a wonderful place for Diego to live a full life and is full of opportunities. For 8 years we have been here and with the support of a cultural exchange Visa with the State University of New York (SUNY) and educational and health resources, Diego is going to a regular school in the 5th grade in Brooklyn (the 771K @ 329 Coney Island) with an inclusion program. The maximum benefit is that the system can offer therapies and educational services and Diego really is a happy and integrated child.
(Diego loves school!)
Now the economy and our immigration status have put us in a more complicated scenario; Diego needs an operation on his legs and in his midsection where the doctor must fracture both bones in order to reset them so that they grow and flex properly... However, both operations are outside the scope of health insurance with Diego's State account. So we are working on therapeutic alternatives, meanwhile, and to get the resources needed to perform the operations. When we know more about the exact cost (our deductible is looking to be over $20,000) and the hospital who will perform it, we may add it to our goal on this wonderful site, but until then any help with Diego's care and needed equipment is more than we could hope for. We never stopped fighting and the money can not be an obstacle to see Diego every day better!
Despite his physical disabilities; Diego is growing at almost normal size, so all rehabilitation equipment and mobility will be obsolete. If Diego was born in this country, he could have access to many economic supports for rehabilitation, care and mobility, in addition to their medical needs.
However, our reality is different- Diego was 2 when we came here- and most of my annual salary is solely to give a part of all the resources he needs, the truth is that there is never enough to support a family and meet all those needs. In Mexico there are no resources or education or appropriate medical care for people like Diego, but in this country where there are those things I can only earn so much.
---------------------------------------
Here is a link to some of the things Diego needs this year:
http://www.especialneeds.com/
And this below? Here is what it does: Adult mobility is crucial whether it be in rehabilitation therapy or adult dayhab. Use of an adult gait trainer can improve client's social interaction, muscle strength and lung function, as well as decreasing the risk of skin breakdown.
After adding the needed accessories to help Diego walk, this will cost his family over $5100. http://www.rifton.com/
Diego also needs a new bathchair to allow his mother to wash him safely:http://www.rifton.com/
After accessories, it will be over $720.00.
Ideally, given the severity of the problems with Diego's legs, he will be able to do his physical therapy on this with the help of Gerry and Gaby steering behind him:
http://www.amtrykestore.org/
Items like this are not covered by Diego's state insurance, and he needs them in order to maintain his health and his life.
----------------------------------
More from Gerry, Diego's dad:
We are a family who came to New York, not for the American dream, but for the dream of seeing Diego grow and have an opportunity for a full life. We sacrificed both our successful professions (I was a lawyer in Mexico), family and friends in Mexico and came to New York to start from scratch, despite a different culture, language, idiosyncrasies ... We are now stronger and more united than ever, we study English every day and make such an effort to integrate. Camila, who is Diego's 7 year old sister, is a wonderful sister, daughter and companion of battle, is very aware and mature about the situation, to my outstanding pride. My wife Gaby is a wonderful mother, who with love and dedication makes every day that Diego is a child full, loving, intelligent and very polite and grateful. My part in this effort is summarized in work and in providing, sometimes less than well enough but always with all my love, working for 8 years, 7 days a week and try to give them the love and quality time and more that one can offer.
The truth is that I'm never sure of the outcome but this is one more effort to put aside my pride and allow other people of good will to help Diego to maintain their own light.
Sincerely
Gerardo Muñoz
e-mail: [email redacted]
Videos to be posted soon!
Organizer
Liz Schweitzer
Organizer
Brooklyn, NY
