Donation protected
Join Team Matthews in their fight against ALS!
#TeamMatthews
This fundraiser is to benefit the Matthews family, Jasan and Kim and their three beautiful children: Jacob age 7, Gloriah age 5, and Ruth who just turned 9 months old.
Who are the Matthews?
o Jasan grew up on a dairy farm in Vermont. He loves the animals and has worked at several dairy farms since moving to Maine. He is profoundly Deaf and has served as a Deaf Guide for Maine Hands & Voices. He has greatly impacted the lives of Deaf and hard of hearing children in Maine and their families both in that position and in his countless hours of volunteer work. Jasan has been leading the Deaf Bible Gathering at East Auburn Baptist Church since September 2018 and loves sharing the Good News of the gospel with everyone he meets.
o Kim is a Teacher for the Deaf and hard of hearing and has dedicated her life to working with children of all ages. She has worked at the Maine Educational Center for the Deaf & Hard of Hearing for the past 11 years, and has recently been promoted to Director of Mainstream and Deaf Education. She has volunteered her time and expertise at countless events across the state to support the families in Maine who have Deaf or hard of hearing children.
o Jacob is 7 years old and loves to be outdoors, playing baseball, riding his bike and jumping on the trampoline. He is full of energy and love!
o Gloriah is 5 years old and is an old soul. She loves both fancy dresses and fishing, sparkle nail polish and playing in the dirt!
o Ruth is just 9 months old and is just starting to use her first signs. She enjoys the attention of her adoring older siblings. Ruth takes after her Daddy and is the sweetest little girl!
o All three children are bilingual in English and American Sign Language.
o Kim and Jasan are the type of people who challenge you to be better, while loving you where you are. They are a family that constantly seek God's will in their lives and give their love, time, energy and resources to bless those around them. They have greatly impacted the lives of Deaf and hard of hearing children in Maine with countless hours of volunteer work. They also started a Deaf ministry and hours monthly to East Auburn Baptist Church to support the local Deaf community there.
Now it's time for US to give back to them!
Join #TeamMatthews today!
Why are we asking for YOUR help?
o Jasan began noticing muscle weakness last year. Over many months, he had increasing muscle weakness, and started to lose muscle tone especially in his arms and hands which is especially devastating because Jasan relies on his hands to communicate in his native American Sign Language. He also started to have difficulty breathing.
o For the past several months, Jasan noticed progressing weakness in his limbs and hands and increasingly struggled to breathe. His doctor sent him for a variety of tests but he wasn’t able to complete some of them like the MRI due to being unable to breathe while lying down. In June of 2020, Jasan had to be hospitalized in Bangor for acute respiratory failure.
o It was there, just a few weeks ago, that the family learned that Jasan has ALS (also known as Lou Gehrig’s Disease). This terrible disease affects the nerves in the brain and spinal cord and results in the progressive loss of muscle control in the body including those responsible for breathing. It is a progressive disease, meaning it will continue to get worse over time. And it is a disease with no cure.
What’s NEXT?
o Jasan will be seeing a wide variety of specialists all over the state which will require a lot of travel time and time away from the kids. It will also be an enormous financial burden on the family.
o Kim’s new job will require that the family move down to the Portland area at some point in the next few months.
o This will mean finding the right home that will both be appropriate for 3 young children, and can also be significantly modified over time to support Jasan’s changing mobility needs.
How can YOU help?
o PRAY! Pray for Jasan to have as much time as possible with his family as his disease progresses. Pray for the doctors and specialists who will be working with the family. Pray for peace of heart and mind for Jasan and Kim. Pray for Jacob, Glorah and Ruth to be sheltered by God’s love as they live through the next phase in their family life.
o DONATE today! No amount is too small! It doesn’t matter if you can give $5 or $500, every single donation counts and is so appreciated!!!
o VOLUNTEER! There will be a wide variety of volunteer opportunities including:
· Volunteer to sit with Jasan and just spend time with him (ESPECIALLY if you know American Sign Language).
· Volunteer to interpret for things like ALS support groups that don’t have funds for interpreting services.
· Volunteer to babysit or pick up or drop off the kids.
· Volunteer to make meals so that’s one less thing Kim has to do. Volunteer to help the family move south.
· There are so many things that we can all do to help!
o SEND YOUR THOUGHTS & LOVE! Send Kim and Jasan an encouraging text or a Marco Polo video just to say you love them and are thinking about them. Send the family cards. Send small items to keep the children happy and busy.
o SHARE! To help get the word out, share this on your Facebook page!!!! This is absolutely crucial in order to make this fundraiser successful. We are counting on YOU!!!
How will the money be spent
With this difficult diagnosis, comes a huge financial burden for the Matthews family. While they do have insurance, the co-pays for all of the doctors, specialists, medications and medical equipment they will need is simply enormous. There are also many things that are not covered by insurance but will be crucial to keep Jasan healthy and comfortable for as long as possible.
We are raising money to help with:
o Hospitalizations and doctor visits. We all know how expensive just one night in the hospital can be. Jasan’s recent extended hospitalization and specialist appointments are already adding up to enormous bills.
o Medical supports and therapies: Jasan will need physical therapy, occupational therapy, swallowing therapy, and so much more. In each case, there are co-pays and expensive equipment to purchase.
o Medications: The most important medication for ALS patients alone costs over $2000 a month and is not covered by insurance!!!
o Medical equipment: Jasan's physical needs will evolve as his disease progresses. Shower benches, breathing equipment, commodes, walkers, wheelchairs (regular then motorized), a hospital bed, etc. will be a financial burden on Jasan’s family that will increase greatly over time.
o Home Modifications: The Matthews will need to modify and adapt their home in order to accommodate Jasan’s changing physical needs. This will include remodeling hallways and doorways to make their house wheelchair accessible, rebuilding the bathroom to accommodate a wheelchair, and constructing a lift to enter or exit the home as well as a ceiling lift system inside the bedroom and bathroom.
o In-home health care and support: While Kim works as the sole income earner to support their whole family, Jasan will need support with many day-to-day tasks and medical needs. In-home help costs on average $20 an hour at the very least.
Why this is so important:
We are unashamedly asking for you to donate to this special family because they would do the same for any one of us. They live what they believe and do it well. We want to support them during this time in any way we can. Finally, any support, (financial, time, interpreting, meals, childcare), is going to be a HUGE part of this for them.
THANK YOU!
We understand that with these uncertain times, for many, giving financially is a sacrifice! We thank you for anything you are able to give! Even a kind text, a meal, providing time so Kim can get a break or help with projects around the house. All of this will be a BLESSING to their family and we THANK YOU!
About the organizers of this fundraiser: Kathy & Cathy!
Kathy Rodriguez: Kim and I met in 2003, shortly after I graduated college and shortly after Kim began her walk with Christ. Our friendship has spanned the years from singleness to now married life with a house full of babes. Kim is one of the most thoughtful, kind, honest, and loving people I know. She is always challenging me in my own walk with Christ and making me want to be better; while still making me feel accepted right where I am. She lives what she believes and, I know, touches all those that are in her world. My family and I have gotten to know Jasan and her family better when we moved back to Maine two and half years ago. We love spending time with them and are blessed to be doing life with them.
Cathy Glover: I have worked with Kim at the Maine Educational Center for the Deaf & Hard of Hearing (MECDHH) for the past 11 years. We went from sitting together in Kim’s tiny apartment in Yarmouth, wondering if we would both be single forever, to me having the honor of being the photographer at Kim and Jasan’s wedding and documenting the arrival of each of their three beautiful children. Kim is both a dear friend and a respected co-worker and has taught me so much and provided amazing support and love over the years!
#TeamMatthews
This fundraiser is to benefit the Matthews family, Jasan and Kim and their three beautiful children: Jacob age 7, Gloriah age 5, and Ruth who just turned 9 months old.
Who are the Matthews?
o Jasan grew up on a dairy farm in Vermont. He loves the animals and has worked at several dairy farms since moving to Maine. He is profoundly Deaf and has served as a Deaf Guide for Maine Hands & Voices. He has greatly impacted the lives of Deaf and hard of hearing children in Maine and their families both in that position and in his countless hours of volunteer work. Jasan has been leading the Deaf Bible Gathering at East Auburn Baptist Church since September 2018 and loves sharing the Good News of the gospel with everyone he meets.
o Kim is a Teacher for the Deaf and hard of hearing and has dedicated her life to working with children of all ages. She has worked at the Maine Educational Center for the Deaf & Hard of Hearing for the past 11 years, and has recently been promoted to Director of Mainstream and Deaf Education. She has volunteered her time and expertise at countless events across the state to support the families in Maine who have Deaf or hard of hearing children.
o Jacob is 7 years old and loves to be outdoors, playing baseball, riding his bike and jumping on the trampoline. He is full of energy and love!
o Gloriah is 5 years old and is an old soul. She loves both fancy dresses and fishing, sparkle nail polish and playing in the dirt!
o Ruth is just 9 months old and is just starting to use her first signs. She enjoys the attention of her adoring older siblings. Ruth takes after her Daddy and is the sweetest little girl!
o All three children are bilingual in English and American Sign Language.
o Kim and Jasan are the type of people who challenge you to be better, while loving you where you are. They are a family that constantly seek God's will in their lives and give their love, time, energy and resources to bless those around them. They have greatly impacted the lives of Deaf and hard of hearing children in Maine with countless hours of volunteer work. They also started a Deaf ministry and hours monthly to East Auburn Baptist Church to support the local Deaf community there.
Now it's time for US to give back to them!
Join #TeamMatthews today!
Why are we asking for YOUR help?
o Jasan began noticing muscle weakness last year. Over many months, he had increasing muscle weakness, and started to lose muscle tone especially in his arms and hands which is especially devastating because Jasan relies on his hands to communicate in his native American Sign Language. He also started to have difficulty breathing.
o For the past several months, Jasan noticed progressing weakness in his limbs and hands and increasingly struggled to breathe. His doctor sent him for a variety of tests but he wasn’t able to complete some of them like the MRI due to being unable to breathe while lying down. In June of 2020, Jasan had to be hospitalized in Bangor for acute respiratory failure.
o It was there, just a few weeks ago, that the family learned that Jasan has ALS (also known as Lou Gehrig’s Disease). This terrible disease affects the nerves in the brain and spinal cord and results in the progressive loss of muscle control in the body including those responsible for breathing. It is a progressive disease, meaning it will continue to get worse over time. And it is a disease with no cure.
What’s NEXT?
o Jasan will be seeing a wide variety of specialists all over the state which will require a lot of travel time and time away from the kids. It will also be an enormous financial burden on the family.
o Kim’s new job will require that the family move down to the Portland area at some point in the next few months.
o This will mean finding the right home that will both be appropriate for 3 young children, and can also be significantly modified over time to support Jasan’s changing mobility needs.
How can YOU help?
o PRAY! Pray for Jasan to have as much time as possible with his family as his disease progresses. Pray for the doctors and specialists who will be working with the family. Pray for peace of heart and mind for Jasan and Kim. Pray for Jacob, Glorah and Ruth to be sheltered by God’s love as they live through the next phase in their family life.
o DONATE today! No amount is too small! It doesn’t matter if you can give $5 or $500, every single donation counts and is so appreciated!!!
o VOLUNTEER! There will be a wide variety of volunteer opportunities including:
· Volunteer to sit with Jasan and just spend time with him (ESPECIALLY if you know American Sign Language).
· Volunteer to interpret for things like ALS support groups that don’t have funds for interpreting services.
· Volunteer to babysit or pick up or drop off the kids.
· Volunteer to make meals so that’s one less thing Kim has to do. Volunteer to help the family move south.
· There are so many things that we can all do to help!
o SEND YOUR THOUGHTS & LOVE! Send Kim and Jasan an encouraging text or a Marco Polo video just to say you love them and are thinking about them. Send the family cards. Send small items to keep the children happy and busy.
o SHARE! To help get the word out, share this on your Facebook page!!!! This is absolutely crucial in order to make this fundraiser successful. We are counting on YOU!!!
How will the money be spent
With this difficult diagnosis, comes a huge financial burden for the Matthews family. While they do have insurance, the co-pays for all of the doctors, specialists, medications and medical equipment they will need is simply enormous. There are also many things that are not covered by insurance but will be crucial to keep Jasan healthy and comfortable for as long as possible.
We are raising money to help with:
o Hospitalizations and doctor visits. We all know how expensive just one night in the hospital can be. Jasan’s recent extended hospitalization and specialist appointments are already adding up to enormous bills.
o Medical supports and therapies: Jasan will need physical therapy, occupational therapy, swallowing therapy, and so much more. In each case, there are co-pays and expensive equipment to purchase.
o Medications: The most important medication for ALS patients alone costs over $2000 a month and is not covered by insurance!!!
o Medical equipment: Jasan's physical needs will evolve as his disease progresses. Shower benches, breathing equipment, commodes, walkers, wheelchairs (regular then motorized), a hospital bed, etc. will be a financial burden on Jasan’s family that will increase greatly over time.
o Home Modifications: The Matthews will need to modify and adapt their home in order to accommodate Jasan’s changing physical needs. This will include remodeling hallways and doorways to make their house wheelchair accessible, rebuilding the bathroom to accommodate a wheelchair, and constructing a lift to enter or exit the home as well as a ceiling lift system inside the bedroom and bathroom.
o In-home health care and support: While Kim works as the sole income earner to support their whole family, Jasan will need support with many day-to-day tasks and medical needs. In-home help costs on average $20 an hour at the very least.
Why this is so important:
We are unashamedly asking for you to donate to this special family because they would do the same for any one of us. They live what they believe and do it well. We want to support them during this time in any way we can. Finally, any support, (financial, time, interpreting, meals, childcare), is going to be a HUGE part of this for them.
THANK YOU!
We understand that with these uncertain times, for many, giving financially is a sacrifice! We thank you for anything you are able to give! Even a kind text, a meal, providing time so Kim can get a break or help with projects around the house. All of this will be a BLESSING to their family and we THANK YOU!
About the organizers of this fundraiser: Kathy & Cathy!
Kathy Rodriguez: Kim and I met in 2003, shortly after I graduated college and shortly after Kim began her walk with Christ. Our friendship has spanned the years from singleness to now married life with a house full of babes. Kim is one of the most thoughtful, kind, honest, and loving people I know. She is always challenging me in my own walk with Christ and making me want to be better; while still making me feel accepted right where I am. She lives what she believes and, I know, touches all those that are in her world. My family and I have gotten to know Jasan and her family better when we moved back to Maine two and half years ago. We love spending time with them and are blessed to be doing life with them.
Cathy Glover: I have worked with Kim at the Maine Educational Center for the Deaf & Hard of Hearing (MECDHH) for the past 11 years. We went from sitting together in Kim’s tiny apartment in Yarmouth, wondering if we would both be single forever, to me having the honor of being the photographer at Kim and Jasan’s wedding and documenting the arrival of each of their three beautiful children. Kim is both a dear friend and a respected co-worker and has taught me so much and provided amazing support and love over the years!
Organizer and beneficiary
Cathy Coughlin Glover
Organizer
Bangor, ME
Kimberly Matthews
Beneficiary