Hawkfeather is asking for help!
Donation protected
Hi everyone.
Our family has decided we need to take the vulnerable step of turning to our community for help.
Our son Briar has a complex medical history, especially for someone so young.
Briar is two years old and suffered from Hypoxic Ischemic Encephalopathy, a type of brain injury, sometime before or during his birth. This brain injury has caused several ongoing health and development complications for Briar.
One of the things impacting Briar the most has been his inability to eat solid foods for sustenance. He can still only breastfeed to receive any notable nourishment., which is becoming less sustainable for him and myself as he ages.
After seeing several experts and having testing done we are disheartened to learn that Briar's feeding issues are not related to his brain injury. Briar's doctors believe he *also* has a rare auto-immune disease called Eosinophilic esophagitis (EoE).
This condition creates an increase of a specific type of white blood cells in Briar's esophagus.
Basically, Briar's body sees most foods as parasites and attacks in response. It is an incurable disease and we are just learning about what life can look like for little ones with EOE and in our case a brain injury as well that impacts Briar's ability to feel hunger or pain when his condition flares up.
We regularly see many therapists, doctors and specialists, and now with this new disease it will dramatically increase the care Briar will need even more. Which means multiple trips into Vancouver every month. Including endoscopies every few months.
Briar cannot eat typically (even the breastmilk he relies on could be harming him). His throat is already damaged, sadly. It will be some trial and error to figure out how to nourish our little guy. But we are seeing that all the various options for feeding with EOE are expensive.
Between appointments, travel, supplements and medications we are really struggling.
There have been therapies for Briar's brain injury we have been unable to pursue due to cost. Therapies that we would really love to see him have access too.
As well as the emotional adjustment needed when facing a medical crisis, the main breadwinner of our family is looking for work since his last contract ended.
We have stretched and borrowed as much as possible...we now face the possibility of being unable to take Briar to see his doctors or being unable to afford his food and supplements...and being terrified that we will not be able to pay our rent and bills.
I feel like we have been in a hole for years, the stress just mounts.
This amazing, beautiful little one is an absolute bright spot for our family. It breaks my heart that he has to suffer. All we want is to ease the stress for our family so we can focus on Briar's needs and take care of all our kids in the healthiest way possible!
We are physically and emotionally exhausted..we could really use your help!
With much gratitude~ Hawkfeather, Lorne and Briar!
Info on HIE..
Info on EOE
Our family has decided we need to take the vulnerable step of turning to our community for help.
Our son Briar has a complex medical history, especially for someone so young.
Briar is two years old and suffered from Hypoxic Ischemic Encephalopathy, a type of brain injury, sometime before or during his birth. This brain injury has caused several ongoing health and development complications for Briar.
One of the things impacting Briar the most has been his inability to eat solid foods for sustenance. He can still only breastfeed to receive any notable nourishment., which is becoming less sustainable for him and myself as he ages.
After seeing several experts and having testing done we are disheartened to learn that Briar's feeding issues are not related to his brain injury. Briar's doctors believe he *also* has a rare auto-immune disease called Eosinophilic esophagitis (EoE).
This condition creates an increase of a specific type of white blood cells in Briar's esophagus.
Basically, Briar's body sees most foods as parasites and attacks in response. It is an incurable disease and we are just learning about what life can look like for little ones with EOE and in our case a brain injury as well that impacts Briar's ability to feel hunger or pain when his condition flares up.
We regularly see many therapists, doctors and specialists, and now with this new disease it will dramatically increase the care Briar will need even more. Which means multiple trips into Vancouver every month. Including endoscopies every few months.
Briar cannot eat typically (even the breastmilk he relies on could be harming him). His throat is already damaged, sadly. It will be some trial and error to figure out how to nourish our little guy. But we are seeing that all the various options for feeding with EOE are expensive.
Between appointments, travel, supplements and medications we are really struggling.
There have been therapies for Briar's brain injury we have been unable to pursue due to cost. Therapies that we would really love to see him have access too.
As well as the emotional adjustment needed when facing a medical crisis, the main breadwinner of our family is looking for work since his last contract ended.
We have stretched and borrowed as much as possible...we now face the possibility of being unable to take Briar to see his doctors or being unable to afford his food and supplements...and being terrified that we will not be able to pay our rent and bills.
I feel like we have been in a hole for years, the stress just mounts.
This amazing, beautiful little one is an absolute bright spot for our family. It breaks my heart that he has to suffer. All we want is to ease the stress for our family so we can focus on Briar's needs and take care of all our kids in the healthiest way possible!
We are physically and emotionally exhausted..we could really use your help!
With much gratitude~ Hawkfeather, Lorne and Briar!
Info on HIE..
Info on EOE
Organizer
Hawkfeather Peterson
Organizer
Sechelt, BC