Dear Friend,

Do you remember the moment your child said their first word? I bet you do. It’s one of those magical milestones etched into your heart forever. For me, hearing Kalen say “mama” and “baba” felt like the sweetest music imaginable. For a brief moment, it seemed like everything was on track—just like any other child his age.

But then, our story changed.

Over the following months, Kalen’s words faded. He stopped saying them altogether. The joyful chatter we thought was just beginning never blossomed. He entered a world of silence that even now, at six years old, he’s only starting to emerge from—with tremendous effort. Today, Kalen’s vocabulary is around 50–100 words. For context, the average adult speaks about 16,000 words a day.

We’ve tried so many things: speech therapy, dietary changes, behavioral therapies, neurological interventions, specialists—you name it. As parents, we’ve left no stone unturned because that’s what you do when you love your child. But despite all our efforts, communication remains an enormous challenge for Kalen—one that impacts every aspect of his daily life.

We’ve been told by experts that Kalen may never live independently. Hearing those words left us feeling helpless, heartbroken, and, ironically, speechless ourselves. But as his parents, we’re not giving up. We can’t.

Recently, we learned about a medical breakthrough that could be life-changing for Kalen: stem cell therapy. This treatment has shown extraordinary success for children with autism, improving communication, socialization, focus, behavior, and even physical health issues like IBS and sleep challenges. Some children have even seen their diagnosis significantly diminished or eliminated.

The earlier this treatment is administered, the better the outcomes, especially before age 10. However, accessing these therapies in the U.S. is almost impossible due to regulatory restrictions. Kalen’s best chance lies in an international clinic offering these treatments.

But here’s the challenge: stem cell therapy is prohibitively expensive. Each round costs $17,000–$19,000, and Kalen will likely need three rounds spaced over the next few years, not including travel expenses. As a yoga instructor and wellness coach, and with my husband working as a chef, with a son in college -our resources are limited.

We are reaching out to our community—our friends, family, and kind-hearted souls like you—because we believe in the power of collective hope and generosity. Together, we can give Kalen the chance to find his voice, to communicate, and to connect with the world around him in ways -as his parents-we’ve only dreamed of.

These treatments represent our deepest hope—our dream as parents to hear our son’s voice once again. To hear him ask questions, share his thoughts, express his dreams and joys, and tell us about his day would be nothing short of a miracle. Once the stem cells begin their work, the progress doesn’t fade—it only strengthens over time. The miracle continues to grow.

To make this dream a reality, we’ve started a GoFundMe to support our journey to Panama, where Kalen can receive the stem cell therapy he so desperately needs.

You have the power to help Kalen find his voice. You can help create the moment when his words begin to flow, and for that, we would be forever grateful.

Your support—whether through a donation, sharing our story, or keeping us in your thoughts—means the world to us.

Thank you for taking the time to learn about Kalen’s struggles and our hopes for his future. Sharing this was not easy for us, but we believe in the power of community and the kindness of others. Any help you can give would mean everything. Giving Kalen the gift of a brighter, more connected life is the greatest gift we could ever imagine, so thank you, thank you thank you….

With heartfelt gratitude,


Shana & Brian