Help London Stay Alive

HELP LONDON STAY ALIVE

A dear friend and colleague of 20 years needs help. Sadly, her 12 year old daughter, LONDON ROSE, has twice attempted suicide. The first attempt, although unknown until recently, happened 2 years ago.

More recently, on 9/4/2024, she made a second attempt to take her own life. She was hospitalized and treated through crisis management in a lockdown hospital psychiatric unit for 14 days. Since crisis management is temporary, she was sent home with a “Safe System” in place for home and for school. The system included counseling with two very experienced therapists twice a week. At home, her Mother who supports London and her two brothers, has had to take a leave of absence to attend to this dire situation. In addition, she is setting her alarm every 45 minutes, sleeping outside her daughter’s bedroom to enable her to check on her daughter throughout the night. She is running low on sleep and now on funds as well.

The school called home on October 1st, saying that they were no longer comfortable having London in the facility as counselors believed she seemed to be formulating another suicide plan. She was hospitalized a second time that very day in the same crisis management psychiatric hospital she had been in previously. Meanwhile, her parents are struggling to find her long-term care and have not been successful thus far.

It has been recommended by her physician that she attend the long-term care facility Turning Winds Residential Treatment Center for Teens in Montana. It was felt by her medical professionals that this facility was the most appropriate for the care she needs, and several therapists dismissed themselves from the case, saying they were not qualified to handle the depth of the issues needing to be addressed. The cost of treatment is $43,750 per quarter that must be paid upfront every quarter. The average length of stay is 12 months or more. Therefore, we are praying for assistance to fund the cost of $175,000 to cover one year in Turning Winds.

Insurance will not cover this. London’s mother is working diligently on a daily basis, speaking with the case manager and with Turning Winds, trying to persuade the insurance company and Turning Winds to work together to allow for a Single Case Agreement. Even if they do reach an agreement, insurance would only cover a very small portion of the cost. Thus far, no agreement has been reached, and all requests are pending. Meanwhile, the family is in search of short-term psychiatric options (not recommended, long-term care has been prescribed) and has done research at 39 different residential treatment facilities trying to come up with a viable solution. Turning Winds remains #1 in the psychiatrist’s, the family’s, and several therapists’ opinions. Her parents also agree that this facility is what will best address her needs and keep her safe while working toward health.

The family will have to figure out housing, food, gas, planes, etc., for her Mother to go with her or to travel back and forth from NC to Montana. Imagine the difficulty of leaving your 12 year old suicidal daughter in a facility alone in a state that is over 2000 miles away.

Also daunting is the rest of the family’s care, housing, food, and daily living expenses when income from Mom has reached its end with the end of her unpaid Leave of Absence. The family has decided to worry about all of these additional funding needs until later because they sincerely want to ONLY focus on getting London the care she needs first, and on keeping her alive.

No one has been able to reach this young lady. All those caring for her had hoped that as medications begin to take effect, she would start opening up and allow those who love her to help her. Thus far, there have been little to no results.

This family is exhausted emotionally, financially, and spiritually. They need and are praying for help for their beautiful little girl. London’s recent statement, “Mom, I do not know what happiness feels like. I truly cannot remember ever feeling happy,” has left them all with nowhere to turn except to finally ask for the kindness of others.

Any donation towards this young lady’s much-needed care will forever be appreciated.