Crews Family Health Journey

We are the Crews family, and this is our latest addition, Anyah. She is our preemie baby born at 29 weeks at 3lbs who spent the first 4 months of life in the NICU.

Anyah has suffered from chronic weeping eczema since about 4 months of age after being exposed to staph before being released from the NICU. This severe case of eczema has changed our family’s dynamic and everyday life as she is constantly attacking herself and unable to sit alone, play, or sleep for prolonged periods of time without being restrained (to avoid harm and further spread of eczema). As she grows, she has learned to maneuver around and conquer these restraints to try and attack the itch.

Eczema support groups have helped walk us through adjusting life and progressing treatment but in every cycle, she would get a little better and then her symptoms would return in full force. We were recently encouraged to have our home tested for mold as for many parents in the same situation they found this is a root they were never able to find simply by medication or diet changes.

After testing our home, dangerously high spore levels of multiple types of mold have been found. With no assistance from home insurance or warranty for remediation or temporary housing we now have to sell our home losing almost all equity to remove Anyah from the environment and allow her body and immune system a chance to detox and recover.

Mold attacks the immune system and gut health from the inside, soliciting violent reactions in those who are immunocompromised like our baby girl.

The mold professionals and eczema support groups both concur that you cannot take anything with you in order to avoid reproducing the same environment. Everything from clothes, to furniture, textiles and books all can hold the spores that contaminate the home air and should be discarded for all members of the family. The groups have both expressed “it's heartbreaking…just like losing everything in a house fire”.

As we relocate having to find a new place to live and new livelihood we are asking for assistance in replenishing just basic everyday items for our family. Any and all funds received are to replenish everyday household items only (clothes, shoes, beds, homeschool supplies/curriculum, etc.)

We are open to accepting any and all assistance in this transition as we give our baby girl a chance to rest from her constant fight. A chance to simply enjoy the skin she is in.