Donate to Keep Cindy McKim's Kids Thriving

Hello, my name is Cindy McKim. I am lucky enough to be the mom to 3 wonderful kids. They are what give me strength to do whatever I need to, to ensure they have all they need and some of their wants too. Which brings me to creating this GoFundMe page. For you see, each of my kids face unique challenges that come from being neurodivergent.

Dunkin, my 14-year-old, is starting his freshman year in high school, but the journey here has not been easy. He is kind, smart, creative, and passionate about the people and causes he loves. He also has Autism, ADHD, and struggles with crippling depression and anxiety. He is extra sensitive to sounds and physical sensations; even how his clothes feel on him can be upsetting. Every day he essentially fights a battle in his head between his ADHD and his Autism. Due to his ADHD he needs sensory input, but too much sensory input triggers his low tolerance for noise with his Autism. Which is why you will rarely see him without headphones on. He uses the combination of headphones with music as a way to balance the need for stimulus (ADHD) and the need for drowning out excess noise (Autism). These insights and strategies, along with therapy sessions, have helped him overcome so much, but it is HIS determination and hard work that keep him going daily. He is a fantastic artist in both digital and traditional forms, as well as animations. Dunkin's ability to capture emotion is phenomenal! He continues to fight the fight every day and still finds the energy to give of himself to those who need some extra help along the way. I am very proud of him!

Alicia, who is 10, came early as part of a duo (twin) at 33 weeks. She spent 1 month in the NICU to learn to eat and to grow. She is loving, creative, resourceful, and fiercely protective of both her twin and Dunkin. She is someone who sits next to the new person at school and helps them find their way. Alicia is generous with her time and compassion, but she too has met with some struggles with her Autism diagnosis and sensory processing challenges. Even though she would give you the shirt off her back, loud noises, crowds, and the sight and smells of many foods send her into a panic. Sometimes she goes all day without eating because the school cafeteria is too overwhelming, or she has to eat in a different place than what she is used to, and that is just too much. She also struggles to balance all she perceives while trying to accomplish all that is expected of her. When your world doesn't have a filter, it can be very overwhelming at times. Alicia is working very hard with the help of occupational therapy and other interventions, trying to change her responses to what she hears, sees, smells, and tastes. Yet she is determined to not let this stand in her way. She tries new things. She works to stay focused. She is a friend and a helping hand to many who cross her path. I am very proud of her!

Zoe, Zo Zo, Zokins, she is a girl with many nicknames and a big heart. Zoe entered this world at 33 weeks. Being a twin and growth restricted, she weighed only 3 lbs 2 oz at birth. Within the first week of her life, I knew she would face many more challenges in her life. She was diagnosed with Down Syndrome, a complete atrioventricular canal defect of her heart, had contracted necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) of her intestines, and later confirmed pulmonary vein stenosis around her heart and lungs. By the time Zoe was 15 months old, she had a g-tube placed to help her eat, had 2 open-heart surgeries, a patch placed on one of her pulmonary veins to widen an area, and many rounds of pneumonia and hospital stays. The most recent diagnosis is that of Autism. But she is a fighter. With each surgery, she grew stronger. With each hospital stay, I learned more and more of what I could do to help keep her healthy. By the grace of God, the love of family and friends, and so many doctors and nurses, she is a strong, very active 10-year-old. Zoe has a zeal for life and new experiences. Although she is primarily nonverbal, she is very good at showing people what she needs via a communication device, some sign language, some words, and by simply taking your hand and showing you. Zoe is strong in so many ways, perceptive, and kind. Her superpower is always knowing when someone needs cheering up. Her laugh and smile are contagious, and she knows what she wants and goes after it. With the help of physical therapists, occupational therapists, and speech therapists, she finds her own way. Zoe reminds those around her that anything is possible, joy is everywhere if you look for it; that it is ok to have a bad day, but it is better with a friend by your side. She is often that friend. I am so very proud of all she has overcome with her inner strength and resolve. Tiny but strong from day one.

Fast forward to the present, I find myself divorced, a single mom, trying to do right by my kids with the little means I have at my disposal. I often joke that instead of being a "soccer mom," I am a "therapy mom." With all three having various therapy, doctor appointments, IEP (Individual Education Plan) meetings, extra phone calls, paperwork, and emails; I have little time for much else and am only able to work part-time. I was doing ok. Things were very tight, but I was making it. But with the loss of some resources for months at a time, extra car repairs, and well, life, I find myself in a bind. I am struggling to make rent, and a week ago my 18-year-old van decided to throw in the towel. R.I.P. Buggy Buggy as my kids call it. I do not even have the money to pay September's rent, let alone purchase a vehicle. Having reliable transportation is extremely important so my kids can get to their appointments and therapies that help them thrive. It is equally important that they have a secure home environment without fear of needing to move if I cannot make ends meet somehow. I do my very best to shelter them from these realities, but they are indeed perceptive kiddos. They know, and it tears at my heart. Today I find myself terrified and at a loss of what to do. I need to somehow fix this for my family. So here I am, sharing our story with all of you with the hope that maybe you can help me restore some stability in my family's lives. I love my kids and navigate my roller coaster of a life pretty well, but as they say, it takes a village. If you are able to help us out in any way, I would be eternally grateful. I hope this message finds you and yours content and healthy. Thank you from the bottom of my heart.

Cindy McKim