Gabriella's Back Surgery

Our daughter Gabriella, 12, has had a sudden onset of scoliosis that is extremely aggressive.  In just a few short months since noticing her back deformity the aggressiveness of the angle has gone from 37 degrees to 65 degrees.  This has pushed us from the possibility of using noninvasive orthopedic braces to mandatory surgery.  Her spine is continuing to curve outward and twisting as it curves starting to cause pain, discomfort and other symptoms like shortness of breath.  The cost of the surgery is $157,000.  That amount does not include hospital stay, physical therapy, time off work, etc.  CIGNA health care will only cover 80% and we must cover the other 20%, doing the math you can see that's $31,400.   We are asking for $50,000 to offset some of the additional expenses and fund me percentages. 

I'm a Veteran of the Navy, a combat hospital corpsman "medic of the Marines".  I have the medical training to provide adequate home care after the surgery to alleviate some of the in-home care costs. The average recovery time for surgery is 5 months.  As an independent contractor I also have the flexibility to provide the home health care but would not be able to maintain income to provide basic living expenses unless we can get your help.    

My ex-wife and I split custody 50/50 and we work very hard to provide for our children.  However, the mother's insurance, despite all efforts to have set aside funds for emergencies, the aggressiveness of her curvature and the unsuccessful avenues taken thus far, have exhausted those funds.   

Gabriella is a kind young lady.  She started an outreach program for her peers at school that may be suffering from depression, in an effort to reduce suicide rates.  She's the kind of daughter that makes being a parent enjoyable with her charisma, kindness, and unbridled love.   

Her mother and I will not rest until we know she is safely past any of the dangers she faces, like any parent would.  As we all know, insurance is a business and isn't concerned about the surgery or the recover, nor the stress, and the hardships we all may face one day.... as our family faces now.   

We are reaching out to you, humanity, and my military family to help one of your own in this time of need.  Her mother and I promise to recycle any donations received until we have paid it all back and then to start paying it forward.  Please, we need your help, if you can donate $1, $5, $10, $20, $50, $100 anything you can do will help us. 

Lastly, if you know of any other programs, organizations, grants, etc. that could help her/us, please reach out and let me know.

Thank you!