Please Help Coleen, Age 4

Coleen lives on the tiny Caribbean Island of Grenada and is 4 years old. She was recently diagnosed with adenoid hypertrophy and needs surgery to have her adenoid removed. It is so large that she cannot breathe through her nose. It affects her sleep (sleep apnea and snoring), appetite (inability to gain weight), hearing, ability to fight off viruses and disease, and overall health. Having this condition has kept her body from defending itself against the substandard living conditions she endured for the first 3 and a half years of her life. Before coming to live with her father and me, she didn't have electricity, running water/indoor plumbing, proper nutrition, or a sanitary home environment. She was also suffering from the trauma of severe neglect, physical abuse, and sexual abuse.

We rescued Coleen from that world in February 2022 just as we broke ground for what was to be her forever home and a healthy living environment for her and her sister to grow up in and thrive with all the love and care a child needs to become a well-adjusted young adult. Due to a multitude of circumstances, we were forced to move into the home with it unfinished in September 2022. We have endured flooding when it rains which creates mold profusely in this hot humid climate, and also have concrete dust in the air we breathe because the floors, walls and ceilings are not finished.

We are unable to clean surfaces properly affecting her health as well. Breathing silica (concrete dust) causes permanent lung damage.

It is with this new knowledge that I am asking for your help so we can finish the plastering of the walls and floors, install tiles and paint walls and ceilings, and paint the exterior of the house to prevent the plaster from cracking and rain from seeping in. Finishing all the surfaces will prevent the concrete dust from circulating through the air that we breathe and allow us to sanitize the home environment completely.

Safety and health issues that need to be addressed immediately are:

Please help Coleen get the surgery she needs and give her the basic need of a healthy home so she can breathe and begin to grow and develop like a healthy 4-year-old. She is a warm-hearted, loving, grateful and strong-willed young lady who will no doubt do great things one day. US dollars go a long way in this tiny tropical nation, and even the smallest contribution will help Coleen tremendously! We thank you in advance for your helping hand to get us through this challenging phase. So much has been achieved already and the girls are blossoming greatly. They have hope in their smiles, joy in their laughter, and love and gratitude in their hearts. Please help us over the hump. They have already come out of the darkness and into the light, and brighter days are ahead.

With gratitude,

Amy