Support Chris's Journey: Fund Life-Changing FASD Treatment.

My name is Michelle Kramer, I became a proud mother of Chris when my brother placed him in my arms at one day old. Chris is a compassionate and resilient 23-year-old living with Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD). Chris was officially diagnosed at the age of 22 with a neurodevelopmental disability caused by prenatal alcohol exposure — a diagnosis that came far too late due to years of misdiagnosis, systemic failures, and the invisibility of this condition.

FASD is a lifelong, invisible disability that affects brain development and function. Without proper support and intervention, symptoms can worsen over time, especially in adulthood. Unfortunately, in Arizona, there are virtually no resources for adults over the age of 18 with FASD. There is no funded therapy, no vocational guidance, and no structured support for young adults like Chris, even though he remains on my insurance. Every step of care we've taken so far — assessments, therapy, coaching — has been entirely out-of-pocket, leading to significant financial strain.

That’s why we are seeking help to fund Chris’s enrollment in the Brain Balance program — a specialized, individualized intervention that focuses on life skills, coping strategies, and vocational training. This program is uniquely tailored to his developmental stage, challenges, and goals, and it offers a real path forward for him to manage his disability and find his place in the world.

Chris is a beautiful soul — kind, loving, full of potential, and the greatest joy of my life. He deserves a future filled with dignity, independence, and hope. He didn’t choose this disability. It was the result due to his birth mother’s substance use during pregnancy. Now, we are doing everything we can to give him the life he deserves — but we can’t do it alone.

We are asking for your support to help cover the cost of this life-changing program. Any contribution, no matter how small, brings us one step closer to helping Chris thrive.

Thank you for reading, for caring, and for standing with us.

With gratitude,

Michelle Kramer