Noah James

Hi everyone. I've created this space for contribution to benefit my very good friend Lyndsey, her son Noah and their family. Noah is currently fighting for his life. Here is his story...

Noah had a scary start to life, ending up in the NICU for a time with seizures and loss of oxygen. But that didn't stop him! As he got stronger, he developed a tenacity for life and love for his family. His energy, his thoughtfulness, his stubbornness, his affinity for nerf and video games and even his fur buddy Salem never slowed him down. But what was hard to see from the outside was Noah's aversion to food. From infantcy, he refused any "foreign" substance from entering his body. It was beyond the pickiness of toddlers and continued as he grew.

Have you ever heard of ARFID? No one I know has. And it wasn't until we saw a YouTube video of a girl in the UK that a diagnosis was actually made.

Avoidant/Restrictive Food Intake Disorder is a very new addition to the eating disorder medical "book". So new in fact that there isn't a protocol to follow once a diagnosis is made or how to correct/manage it. See it differs from other eating disorders as it's not rooted in body image. It's squarely seated as fear. Debilitating fear. Of food.

Fast forward to age 12. That's twelve years of avoiding food that keeps your body functioning. Nutrition that could have avoided a deadly secondary diagnosis of Severe Scurvy which is now what Noah and family are fighting. He has a long way to go, healing his insides from the damage of Scurvy is a Herculean task currently in the hands of doctors at UCD and Kaiser.

Please help. Spread the word of ARFID. Make aware the dangers to medical professionals of "wait and see". Help this family with whatever you can give. Send prayers and thoughts in whatever way you can.

Proceeds from this fundraiser will directly benefit Lyndsey (his Mom) and help with bills, food, medical expenses, gas, and other living expenses while Noah is in the hospital.

If you are interested in supporting ARFID awareness, please reach out me directly for more information.