Joshua Deveaux & his mom, Tiffany Smith

My name is Marie Webel. Over the past decade, my family and I have fallen in love with Harbour Island's pink sands, turquoise waters and island vibe. What we love most about Harbour Island is the friendliness of the island's residents. We have been lucky to get to know Tiffany Smith and her son Joshua, age 11. Josuhua was diagnosed with HBSS Sickle Cell Disease, at birth. He often suffers from acute pain crises which happen throughout his body and sometimes become so unbearable that he has to seek medical attention in the Bahamas and the US. He has also suffered from acute chest pain, sepsis and pneumonia where he has had to stay in hospitals multiple times. At his last doctor's visit, lesions were discovered on his spleen. Joshua will need to have multiple scans to determine the diagnosis. Approximately every three months Tiffany and Joshua travel from the Bahamas to Michigan to visit the Helen Devos Children's Hospital for scans, blood tests and additional treatments.

Tiffany applied for a green card in April 2016 and received an approval letter in October of 2020. As of today, Tiffany is patiently waiting on US NVC to provide possible interview appointment dates. Joshua is a US citizen but Tiffany is not. Tiffany has to make frequent trips with Joshua from the Bahamas to the US as she is not able to work or live in the US until her green card application is approved.

My husband and I have continued to support Tiffany as much as we can but as a mom, a friend of Tiffany's and part of the Harbour Island community I am asking that you please help them by donating to Joshua's Go Fund Me account in any amount you feel comfortable as we know their needs are only going to continue.

Thank you from the bottom of our heart!