Help for Noah and Becca Cardin

I'm hoping to raise money for my friend Noah and his mom Becca Cardin. Noah was born with hydrocephalus, amniotic banding on his legs,  cleft palette, and many other special needs. Since the beginning of January Noah has been through 5 surgeries to replace or fix the shunt in his brain that drains the excess cerebral/spinal fluid his body produces and he's still not recovered. During the last surgery on February 25th Noah suffered cardiac arrest and needed CPR.  Right now he's in intensive care with an external shunt that drains into a bag on the side of his bed. At some point that will have to be replaced with a new internal shunt meaning at least one more surgery before he leaves. It's not much of an exaggeration to say he's spent more of 2019 in the hospital than he has at home.  

Noah's first picture.

When Becca was pregnant with Noah she was told that he'd never survive and even if he did his quality of life would be basically nonexistent.  His first visit to Children's Hospital was when he was flown to Birmingham from Florence, AL on the LifeSaver jet right after he was born. 

Noah's 1st birthday.

Since then he's had more surgeries than Becca can keep track of, she stopped counting at 40, and that was just the brain surgeries. His medical records could take up their own filling cabinet.     





But nineteen years later he's a vibrant, sweet and amazing child.  Every time I've visited them in the hospital the last few weeks I run into someone new who has a Noah story. Doctors, nurses, even administrative assistants remember Noah's beaming smiles, infectious laughter, and wonderful hugs from all of the times he's been there over the past 2 decades. 

Noah in January, after his first surgery of 2019 

And after his 3rd surgery 2 weeks later. 

Just home from the hospital and Noah loves having his picture taken! This was one of the rare good days of the last 2 months. 

His 4th surgery, and he still loves mugging for the camera. 

This was Noah on February 28, 3 days after his 5th surgery and  his cardiac arrest in the operating room. 

Even when he's healthy Noah has to overcome obstacles everyday that would overwhelm most people. He is literally one of a kind, no one in the world shares all of the medical conditions that he lives with. But Becca has always done everything she could to make his life as happy and meaningful as possible and I think it's from her love and stubborn determination that he has grown to be such a wonderful and strong person in his own right. 



Becca's parents have both passed and she has no extended family.  After Noah's second trip to Birmingham in the LifeSaver jet Becca moved away from her home town, and the friends she grew up with, to be closer to Children's Hospital for his sake. She's raised Noah by herself since he was born and never had time for social gatherings that he couldn't attend. Having a special needs child has severally limited her potential babysitters in a way that most of us never had to worry about. She hasn't been able to work since before Christmas and with the doctors saying he'll likely be there at least a few more weeks they are in desperate need of help.

Please help me give them what I think they deserve but can't give them on my own; a little financial stability while they are struggling through this difficult time.  Thank you for anything that you can give and even if you can't give, please help me to spread this by sharing it with anyone you can.