New Hope for Stephanie

A LIFE INTERRUPTED

This is Steph in Croatia in 1997, at the age of 11.

And this is Steph (with her family) at the Mayo Clinic in 2016, at the age of 30.

The first photo was taken in 1997 when Stephanie was on vacation in Croatia with her little sister, Michelle; Dutch mother, Bernie; and American father, Jim. It was the last summer she could stand. A few months later, she woke up with a fever, after which her health rapidly declined.

Steph spent the next 18 years in- and out-of hospitals in her home country of the Netherlands. With a growing list of symptoms, including a progressive and severe scoliosis as well as multiple orthopedic deformities, her ability to lead a conventional life continued to decline and her pain grew worse.

As life became increasingly challenging, Steph and her family ultimately decided to ask for help at the world-renowned Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota. There, they found a revived sense of hope.

NEW HOPE

Since November 2014, a multidisciplinary team of specialists at Mayo Clinic has been working closely with Steph. They have managed to conclude that her neurological symptoms - ranging from spasticity to problems with executive functioning - are due to an autoimmune disorder. Over the years, this illness has led to a range of secondary complications, which have made it difficult for Steph to perform even the most basic daily functions.

Fortunately, her treatments at Mayo have led to some progress, to the point that Steph even feels comfortable making some future plans again. There is, however, one significant barrier to continued progress: cost.

Intrigued by her case, Mayo has forgiven a significant portion of Steph’s medical costs, which have already gone over a million dollars. Still, the costs associated with uninsured medical expenses, as well as frequent flights and daily living expenses in Minnesota, amounting to a total of around $6,000 per month, are jeopardizing the efforts of this family for a better future for Steph.

Simply put, without assistance, the family will be unable to access the level of care that Steph is currently being offered. To help Steph and the Yarnells meet these financial obligations, a group of friends and colleagues from the American School of The Hague (ASH) have therefore come together to raise funds for the Yarnell family, which has spent the better part of 40 years at ASH as both teachers and students. 

We desperately need your help today.

Steph with the Yarnell Family Trust Committee, in 2015.

Left to right: Nic, Chris, Sabine, Steph, Dawn, Tim 

We hope that this family's story will move you - and that you can help move this family forward. Every contribution, large or small, makes it possible for the whole Yarnell family to continue working toward a better quality of life for Steph.

Thank you so much,

The Yarnell Family Trust

Chris, Dawn, Tim, Sabine, Nic, and Myriam