Rainan is the happy, bright, and beautiful 16 month old son of Chelsea DeBaun and Alex Patrick. While his short life has been filled with joyful adventures living a sustainable, off the grid life in rural Washington, he was recently diagnosed with Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA) after months of hospital visits and tests. SMA is a genetic disease that affects the motor nerve cells in the spinal cord. The illness will likely impact Rainan's ability to perform basic functions like walking, running, and breathing. Children with SMA are likely to have a shorter life expectancy and often spend a lot of time in the hospital and with other medical professionals in an effort to help them obtain the best quality of life.

While Rainan does have health insurance, there is sure to be a huge financial strain on the family as they begin this long journey. Any funds raised will go toward medical expenses and devices that are not covered by insurance, as well as additional expenses incurred from not being able to work or needing to hire out help on their farm while they frequently make the 7 hour journey to Seattle Children's Hospital. Please share this widely and help us reduce the financial burden for Alex and Chelsea.