Help a fundraiser in her time of need

Whether it’s at the door, street, or over the phone, Alexia works to seek donations in support of women across the world, one conversation at a time. Rain or shine, facing the full spectrum of human moods, and dispositions…it's a tough job. Rewarding and yet often thankless, reserved for those with hearts only as strong and resilient as they are open and empathetic. To date, she has raised around $20,000 towards projects that empower and protect women and girls and advance their rights. She does this all while attending school full time, studying relentlessly to earn her A's at Canadian College. No matter how mentally and physically drained she is from these, Alexia wakes up every morning at 5:00 am to video call with her son, D'Antonio and her husband, Dwayne. She has done this without fail each day since she arrived in Canada. 

(Just a few of the countless donors Alexia has inspired as a fundraiser!)

Alexia moved from Kingston, Jamaica about a year ago. She left a stable job serving as a member of the police force and set out to make a difficult transition to pursue a higher education in Canada and improve the quality of life of her family.  I simply can’t imagine the agony of separating from your child so soon after bringing them into this world, knowing all the milestones that would be missed. At the airport, Alexia worked hard to fill her farewell with smiles and cheerful photographs. It was only when the woman checking her bags asked her a simple yet confronting question that she finally burst into tears: “Will it be you and the baby?” On the long flight, she recounted to me how she replayed the moment of leaving her family at the airport over and over again in her mind. She wondered, "What's going to happen tomorrow? Will he cry? What will their life be like without me? Did I make the right decision?”

(The strong woman she is, Alexia musters smiles to lift her family's spirits on her farewell day)

It has now been over a year and as though this weren’t painful enough, Alexia and Dwayne's baby boy started to struggle. He had stopped eating solids and started to lose weight. At nearly 3 years old, he was still unable to express himself through language and is yet to experience activities most toddlers his age enjoy, like jumping or climbing. Alexia sang "You Are My Sunshine" to D'Antonio every day they were apart, but what had once inspired delight and laughter was now met with inconsolable tears. It was becoming clear that something was not right…and  in July of this year, after many visits to the doctors, the cause had been determined: When D'Antonio was a little over a year old, he suffered from short but frequent episodes of losing consciousness. After being hospitalized for a week, doctors diagnosed these as seizures which have since been controlled with medication...but unfortunately not before they had inflicted long-term impact. The seizures caused drastic developmental delays, to the effect that he is now operating at the level of an 18 month old child. Doctors have warned that D'Antonio may even lose the ability to walk as he grows older if there is no intervention.

(At the hospital when the seizures began)

If he is to stand a chance at leading a normal life, it is critical D'Antonio receives professional help between now and the age of 7. He requires one-on-one treatment that would focus on neuromotor development, language acquisition, sensory integration, fine motor skills, social-emotional development, as well as learning and play skills. Alexia and Dwayne have managed to put together the money to begin treatment at Therapy Plus for their son, and after just a month and a half, the results have brought hope to the family! D'Antonio has started to eat solids, and is now singing and laughing as he once did. Ongoing treatment will be necessary to maintain and build on D'Antonio's progress, but just four weeks of full time therapy costs $ 124,000 JMD - this is equivalent to around $1,115 Canadian. Alexia and Dwayne are now completely stretched thin. They will need to pull D'Antonio from therapy...but you can help change that! 

(Daddy brings Little D'Antonio to get fitted for leg braces!)

Now I know many of us are facing tough times. But it is because of that, not in spite of it, that I ask you to consider helping Alexia. Our struggles connect us. If you know what it is like to watch a loved one suffer through an illness, if your life here has been made possible through sacrifices borne by immigrant parents, if you have a family to greet you with hugs and kisses when you come home from a hard day's work, if you are someone who believes in the power of community and lifting one another other up, if you agree that fundraisers are among the world's unsung heroes… or if simply you believe like I do that someone who has impacted so many lives has earned a bit of reciprocity, please give what you can. 

Alexia's story may not be unique - a parent who wants a good life for her child, working tirelessly to secure the means to fulfill that hope….not unlike mine, and probably yours too. But not only does she deserve our support, I believe she has earned it. This is an opportunity to show up for and support a fundraiser in her time of need, as she has done for so many others. My goal is to raise $4000 - after processing fees, this would be enough to cover 3 months of treatment for D'Antonio, so that he receives the early intervention he needs that will so greatly benefit him for the rest of his life. If just 100 people gave $40, it would help Alexia and Dwayne immensely in getting started on changing the course for their baby boy. But more than that, it would be a powerful affirmation that a life lived in service of others gives back in the most surprising and beautiful ways.