Kinsley Wilcox Van Fund
Donation protected
We are helping a family who has a child with special needs find a SAFE family vehicle. The Wilcox family is a hard working, single income household living in Pittsburgh, Pa. Help us reach our goal of $50,000 to help the their family purchase a new van that will accommodate their family and child with special needs! Donate now or read on for their story!
I believe that when good people are in need, humanity should pull together to support and give back! We’re all in this one life together. We should treat one another like family and if we can give toward a good cause, to help good people, we absolutely should! Nathan, Leicie, Drake (14), Kinsley (9) and Kamden (6) make up the Wilcox clan. A group of people that I am honored to call friends. Nathan and Leicie’s middle child, Kinsley is a sassy and sweet little 9-year-old girl who loves anything that sparkles, Adam Lavine and Elmo. She and her brothers bring so much light and joy to the people they encounter.
Nathan and Leicie Wilcox are a perfect example of two parents who have taught their children how to serve. Not only do Nathan and Leicie volunteer weekly with children and youth ministries, their oldest son, 14-year-old Drake, selflessly volunteers weekly with elementary children. Their youngest, 5-year-old Kamden is too young to actively volunteer but the love and support he shows and gives his older sister Kinsley is heartwarming. Kinsley even gives back. She has actively changed the lives of people she meets, just by being her. The Wilcox give and give and give to their church and community so selflessly. I’m honored to call them friends. For years Nathan and Leicie Wilcox along with their children, have given their time, money and energy to the youth and kids ministry programs at Amplify Church. These are the kind of people you want to see blessed, again and again and again. Now it is up to us as a family and community to GIVE BACK TO THEM.
So, let me paint a picture for you… Imagine your child (or loved one, if you are not a parent) was diagnosed with a rare disease that YOU oversaw. Imagine that every time this disease flared up, YOU were responsible for transporting them to the hospital to get things under control. Imagine YOU needed to drive your child to see therapists, specialist, and to countless appointments to ensure that their health was under control. Imagine that there was an ice storm and your child needed urgent care and it was up to YOU to make sure they made it to a specialty hospital. Now imagine how you’re going to do all this without a safe vehicle. Imagine making the call to put your child in an unsafe vehicle to get them life sustaining medical care. You’re stuck between a rock and a very hard place… sounds dire, because it is. This is the reality that the Wilcox family faces daily.
On January 9th, 2010 Nathan and Leicie Wilcox met their beautiful baby girl, Kinsley. They were living in California with their oldest son Drake. After a few months of Kinsley not reaching milestones, they sought out to find answers. They were turned away time and time again. They were told that she was “just behind” or “she’ll catch up.” They knew in their hearts that something was not right.
Desperate for answers, Nathan reached out to a friend that was living in Pittsburgh. It turned out that the friend's wife was a researcher at the world-renowned Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh. They were urged to come to Pittsburgh for evaluations and care. This conversation took place in December 2011. Nathan flew to Pittsburgh in January 2012 and got a job and a place to live. Leicie, Drake and Kinsley joined him by the end of February 2012. They picked it all up, left family and friends and moved across the country to get answers. Within months, they had evaluations and supports. Doctors confirmed that Kinsley was falling behind, and she was diagnosed with Global Developmental Delay and Dystonia (a muscle disorder). Within weeks of evaluation, the Wilcox were able to set up in home OT/PT and speech therapies. Two years later, in 2014, a third diagnosis came. After months of unexplained freezing spells, seizure-like activities and laughing spells, Kinsley was diagnosed with epilepsy. It was another 4 years until they were able to find out that she has an extremely rare form of epilepsy and in 2018, she was officially diagnosed with a rare form of epilepsy called Lennox Gaustaut Syndrome.
Having answers did not come without challenges. Kinsley’s schedule is full of appointments, specialist, in-home supports, school-supports, new diagnosis, revised diagnoses, invasive surgeries and countless visits to Children’s Hospital. In her 7 years in Pittsburgh Kinsley has undergone several intensive surgeries. She has had invasive brain surgery, a failed VNS (vagus nerve stimulator) surgery that resulted in severe infection, a G-tube placement, and a second VNS placement that has been successful.
How have they coped through all this in a town where they knew nobody (their friends that had brought them here, moved out of state a short time after the Wilcox had arrived). Searching for connections, they asked their landlord to suggest a church. He suggested that they try Amplify. He said that his kids attended there and seemed to like it. They set out to find family and community and build their village here. They attended Amplify for the first time in April 2012. A week later, they started serving with the youth ministry and they have attended and volunteered at Amplify ever since. They can never leave Pittsburgh. They need to be close to Children’s Hospital because of Kinsley’s need for continued care.
The Wilcox are a single income family. Kinsley needs care almost hourly. The family never gets a break or a rest. Even when they are resting, they are always wondering if Kinsley will have a seizure that requires emergency treatment. Mom, Leicie is a full-time caretaker, wife and mother. Nathan works full time and travels out of state weekly. They rely on their one vehicle to get to weekly appointments, therapies and school activities.
In June of 2019 their family vehicle started having engine issues. They later found that the issue is deep inside the engine and one of the potential outcomes is that it could catch fire if they continue to drive it. The vehicle is too old to do the work needed to get it back in a safe operating condition. Furthermore, they are not in the financial situation to pay off this vehicle and purchase another. They have had no other choice but to continue to drive their current vehicle. Their current vehicle is in need of new tires, and being that the weather is getting colder here in Western PA, they are stuck with the decision of getting new tires for an unsafe vehicle or hope and pray that the vehicle can get them to their needed appointments and therapies safely while they figure out a way to get a safe family vehicle.
Anyone from the Pittsburgh area knows the need to have a 4-wheel drive vehicle with safe tires to get around! They require no different. In the event of a snow or ice storm, they don’t have an option to NOT take Kinsley to the hospital if she needs medical care. 911 is not an option for them either in the event of an emergency. Once Kinsley is given her rescue medication, she had to be transported to the nearest hospital. The nearest hospital to the Wilcox home is an adult hospital. This hospital does not know what to do with Kinsley. The last time they called an ambulance for her was the last time they called an ambulance for her. Kinsley was taken to an adult hospital and suffered 84 seizures in 5 hours before being transferred to Children’s hospital. Leicie kept telling the doctors and nurses what her daughter needed, and no one would listen! Now they have the routine down. They drive her directly to Children’s, come in the emergency department, tell them that she is actively seizing, and Kinsley is in a room, in a bed, hooked up to needed meds within minutes not hours! To ensure that they can continue to provide this level of care for her, they need a reliable safe family vehicle.
If you have made it this far, I thank you for your time. The Wilcox certainly deserve it. I thank you for your generous gifts ahead of time because I believe that we will raise well over the amount needed to help them pay off their current vehicle and purchase a van that will fit their needs, a van that is safe, that holds all of them and can hold Kinsley’s wheelchair and walker. I believe that the goal in life is to give back to others. One of the greatest humanitarians of the 20th Century, the late Albert Schweitzer, said it best; “The purpose of human life is to serve, and to show compassion and the will to help others.” Will you join me today and help others?
*If our goal is not reached, all funds raised will go toward paying off their current vehicle and/or fixing it to get it in a safe operating condition.
I believe that when good people are in need, humanity should pull together to support and give back! We’re all in this one life together. We should treat one another like family and if we can give toward a good cause, to help good people, we absolutely should! Nathan, Leicie, Drake (14), Kinsley (9) and Kamden (6) make up the Wilcox clan. A group of people that I am honored to call friends. Nathan and Leicie’s middle child, Kinsley is a sassy and sweet little 9-year-old girl who loves anything that sparkles, Adam Lavine and Elmo. She and her brothers bring so much light and joy to the people they encounter.
Nathan and Leicie Wilcox are a perfect example of two parents who have taught their children how to serve. Not only do Nathan and Leicie volunteer weekly with children and youth ministries, their oldest son, 14-year-old Drake, selflessly volunteers weekly with elementary children. Their youngest, 5-year-old Kamden is too young to actively volunteer but the love and support he shows and gives his older sister Kinsley is heartwarming. Kinsley even gives back. She has actively changed the lives of people she meets, just by being her. The Wilcox give and give and give to their church and community so selflessly. I’m honored to call them friends. For years Nathan and Leicie Wilcox along with their children, have given their time, money and energy to the youth and kids ministry programs at Amplify Church. These are the kind of people you want to see blessed, again and again and again. Now it is up to us as a family and community to GIVE BACK TO THEM.
So, let me paint a picture for you… Imagine your child (or loved one, if you are not a parent) was diagnosed with a rare disease that YOU oversaw. Imagine that every time this disease flared up, YOU were responsible for transporting them to the hospital to get things under control. Imagine YOU needed to drive your child to see therapists, specialist, and to countless appointments to ensure that their health was under control. Imagine that there was an ice storm and your child needed urgent care and it was up to YOU to make sure they made it to a specialty hospital. Now imagine how you’re going to do all this without a safe vehicle. Imagine making the call to put your child in an unsafe vehicle to get them life sustaining medical care. You’re stuck between a rock and a very hard place… sounds dire, because it is. This is the reality that the Wilcox family faces daily.
On January 9th, 2010 Nathan and Leicie Wilcox met their beautiful baby girl, Kinsley. They were living in California with their oldest son Drake. After a few months of Kinsley not reaching milestones, they sought out to find answers. They were turned away time and time again. They were told that she was “just behind” or “she’ll catch up.” They knew in their hearts that something was not right.
Desperate for answers, Nathan reached out to a friend that was living in Pittsburgh. It turned out that the friend's wife was a researcher at the world-renowned Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh. They were urged to come to Pittsburgh for evaluations and care. This conversation took place in December 2011. Nathan flew to Pittsburgh in January 2012 and got a job and a place to live. Leicie, Drake and Kinsley joined him by the end of February 2012. They picked it all up, left family and friends and moved across the country to get answers. Within months, they had evaluations and supports. Doctors confirmed that Kinsley was falling behind, and she was diagnosed with Global Developmental Delay and Dystonia (a muscle disorder). Within weeks of evaluation, the Wilcox were able to set up in home OT/PT and speech therapies. Two years later, in 2014, a third diagnosis came. After months of unexplained freezing spells, seizure-like activities and laughing spells, Kinsley was diagnosed with epilepsy. It was another 4 years until they were able to find out that she has an extremely rare form of epilepsy and in 2018, she was officially diagnosed with a rare form of epilepsy called Lennox Gaustaut Syndrome.
Having answers did not come without challenges. Kinsley’s schedule is full of appointments, specialist, in-home supports, school-supports, new diagnosis, revised diagnoses, invasive surgeries and countless visits to Children’s Hospital. In her 7 years in Pittsburgh Kinsley has undergone several intensive surgeries. She has had invasive brain surgery, a failed VNS (vagus nerve stimulator) surgery that resulted in severe infection, a G-tube placement, and a second VNS placement that has been successful.
How have they coped through all this in a town where they knew nobody (their friends that had brought them here, moved out of state a short time after the Wilcox had arrived). Searching for connections, they asked their landlord to suggest a church. He suggested that they try Amplify. He said that his kids attended there and seemed to like it. They set out to find family and community and build their village here. They attended Amplify for the first time in April 2012. A week later, they started serving with the youth ministry and they have attended and volunteered at Amplify ever since. They can never leave Pittsburgh. They need to be close to Children’s Hospital because of Kinsley’s need for continued care.
The Wilcox are a single income family. Kinsley needs care almost hourly. The family never gets a break or a rest. Even when they are resting, they are always wondering if Kinsley will have a seizure that requires emergency treatment. Mom, Leicie is a full-time caretaker, wife and mother. Nathan works full time and travels out of state weekly. They rely on their one vehicle to get to weekly appointments, therapies and school activities.
In June of 2019 their family vehicle started having engine issues. They later found that the issue is deep inside the engine and one of the potential outcomes is that it could catch fire if they continue to drive it. The vehicle is too old to do the work needed to get it back in a safe operating condition. Furthermore, they are not in the financial situation to pay off this vehicle and purchase another. They have had no other choice but to continue to drive their current vehicle. Their current vehicle is in need of new tires, and being that the weather is getting colder here in Western PA, they are stuck with the decision of getting new tires for an unsafe vehicle or hope and pray that the vehicle can get them to their needed appointments and therapies safely while they figure out a way to get a safe family vehicle.
Anyone from the Pittsburgh area knows the need to have a 4-wheel drive vehicle with safe tires to get around! They require no different. In the event of a snow or ice storm, they don’t have an option to NOT take Kinsley to the hospital if she needs medical care. 911 is not an option for them either in the event of an emergency. Once Kinsley is given her rescue medication, she had to be transported to the nearest hospital. The nearest hospital to the Wilcox home is an adult hospital. This hospital does not know what to do with Kinsley. The last time they called an ambulance for her was the last time they called an ambulance for her. Kinsley was taken to an adult hospital and suffered 84 seizures in 5 hours before being transferred to Children’s hospital. Leicie kept telling the doctors and nurses what her daughter needed, and no one would listen! Now they have the routine down. They drive her directly to Children’s, come in the emergency department, tell them that she is actively seizing, and Kinsley is in a room, in a bed, hooked up to needed meds within minutes not hours! To ensure that they can continue to provide this level of care for her, they need a reliable safe family vehicle.
If you have made it this far, I thank you for your time. The Wilcox certainly deserve it. I thank you for your generous gifts ahead of time because I believe that we will raise well over the amount needed to help them pay off their current vehicle and purchase a van that will fit their needs, a van that is safe, that holds all of them and can hold Kinsley’s wheelchair and walker. I believe that the goal in life is to give back to others. One of the greatest humanitarians of the 20th Century, the late Albert Schweitzer, said it best; “The purpose of human life is to serve, and to show compassion and the will to help others.” Will you join me today and help others?
*If our goal is not reached, all funds raised will go toward paying off their current vehicle and/or fixing it to get it in a safe operating condition.
Organizer
Brian Johnston
Organizer
Pittsburgh, PA