When Beckett entered the world in January 2025, we experienced both the greatest joy and our most challenging days. Born via emergency c-section at full-term, he was quickly diagnosed with Hypoxic-Ischemic Encephalopathy (HIE) and transferred to another hospital for special cooling treatment. Our brave boy spent his first weeks in the NICU at Emory Midtown fighting. We were immediately taken with his determination and yet loving little spirit. He also had many of the NICU staff wrapped around his little fingers, although they were some of the biggest fingers in the NICU.

Today, at nearly one year old, Beckett continues to show us what true strength and resilience look like. Since leaving the NICU, Beckett has also been diagnosed with Cerebral Palsy (CP). CP is a group of neurological disorders that cause problems with movement, balance, and posture due to permanent, non-progressive brain damage. The damage to Beckett’s brain from the HIE affected the motor parts of his brain and led to his CP diagnosis. Babies are truly amazing and resilient. Their brains have a lot of neuroplasticity, which is highest in the first three years of life. The more you work to reroute around the brain damage during this time, the higher the chance for better outcomes. You cannot undo the damage, but you can work to minimize its effects.

Beckett greets each day with a smile that lights up every room. He's working hard through multiple therapy sessions each week—physical therapy, occupational therapy (both land and aquatic), feeding therapy, and auditory verbal therapy. He also wears hearing aids to correct his mild to moderate hearing loss, and he shows up for every session with determination that humbles us. If you have been lucky enough to meet our sweet boy, you know just how infectious his smile, laughter, and joy truly are. He is such a light to this world.

His neurologist recently shared amazing news: Beckett's brain is healing and rerouting. Physical progress is happening. He's hitting developmental milestones—on his own beautiful timeline. He's even begun taking steps with a gait trainer! Watching him work on his sitting and standing exercises, seeing his pure joy in every small victory, has taught us that he is healthy in all the ways that truly matter. His spirit, his love, his fight—that's everything.

Why We're Here

While we're grateful beyond words for how far Beckett has come, we've learned about an opportunity that could significantly impact his continued recovery: stem cell therapy. This treatment has shown promising results for children with HIE and CP, potentially enhancing neurological recovery and improving quality of life.

While there are so many uncertainties with HIE and CP, we are determined to give Beckett every opportunity for a rebound and healing. We want to pursue every avenue that could help maximize his potential.

Unfortunately, stem cell therapy isn't covered by insurance due to it still being in the FDA approved trial process, and the costs are substantial. Between the treatment itself, travel expenses, follow-up intensive therapies, and associated medical care, we're looking at a financial mountain that feels impossible to climb alone.

We have applied for stem cell therapy through Duke University and are beginning to look at other options as well. If Beckett is accepted to the Duke program, we are required to pay $15,000 up front. This only includes stem cell therapy, and does not include travel expenses, time off work, or follow-up intensive therapies to help make the most of the stem cells. The other pediatric stem cell studies that Beckett may qualify for have similar or more expensive costs. Again, none of these therapies are covered by insurance.

Our Ask

We don't take asking for help lightly. As parents who work for nonprofits—helping low-income people understand their legal rights and responding to disasters locally and across the country—we've dedicated our careers to serving others. We're proud of that work, but we also understand that our career decisions have put us in a position where we need to be humbled and ask for financial support. The flexibility of these positions has also meant that it is not feasible for even one of us to make a career move at this time – a move that may earn more money but would hinder our ability to get Beckett to all his appointments. This isn't easy for us, but Beckett's future is worth setting pride aside.

Our network of family, friends, colleagues, and even strangers has already been our lifeline through the darkest days. Your prayers, thoughts, messages, and support have lifted us during moments of uncertainty and given us hope when we needed it most.

Now we're humbly asking for your help once more to give Beckett access to stem cell therapy—a chance to maximize his healing potential and continue building on the incredible progress he's already made.

In 30 years, we'll look back at this journey—the sleepless nights, the hospital stays, the endless appointments, the moments of uncertainty—and we'll know that every single bit of it was worth it. Worth it for Beckett's smile, his laughter, his beautiful life, and all the possibilities we fought so hard to give him.

Any contribution, no matter the size, brings us closer to this goal. If you can't contribute financially, sharing this campaign with your networks means the world to us.

Every dollar raised will go directly to providing opportunities and care for Beckett that are not covered by insurance. We are hopeful that he will be accepted into the Duke study and that we will have the funds to pay for it, but if he is not, all funds will be used for another study or opportunity (examples include additional durable medical equipment or intensive therapies).

Our Gratitude

To everyone who has checked in, kept us in their thoughts, sent prayers, or shown up for our family in countless ways, thank you. You've surrounded us with love during the toughest times.

Beckett is our miracle. We are endlessly proud of him and grateful for every moment. With your help, we can give him every resource and opportunity to live his fullest, most wonderful life.

Thank you for being part of Beckett's journey. Your kindness means more than you'll ever know.

With love and gratitude,

The Spangler Family