This is Vi!
Violette is an autistic 4 year old ball of energy who suffers from a rare neurologically based condition known as ARFID, or Avoidant Restrictive Food Intake Disorder. ARFID causes little Vi to severely limit the amount of food she ingests and to restrict her diet in such a way that she is now at risk of needing a feeding tube. Her condition told her to stop eating solid food about 2.5 years ago and now she mainly lives off a vegan protein shake 3 to 4 times a day. Unfortunately, she has begun restricting her diet from consuming even her normal liquid diet needs and has reduced down to water only on some days, causing an 8 lb weight loss in the past year. Her health is deteriorating, and the disease: is beginning to affect her blood levels and attention span, has created gastrointestinal issues, is changing her physical growth, and much more. As the child of a single mother with siblings, Vi is faced with many other day to day challenges as they now must travel to Gainesville to seek a specialized intensive treatment to aid in her care. It is the only hospital in the state for this kind of care. This treatment will be for a minimum of 12 weeks and her mother will be on a very limited budget the entire time as she will not be able to work much at all--the program involves some parental involvement each day and mom must also care for her other children at the same time. The family is breaking their lease and giving up their belongings to go on this temporary journey to see to it that the youngest family member gets the care that she needs at this time. Anything to get her to eat again seems like a hope worth having! The family will luckily have basic housing covered by the Ronald McDonald House while she is in treatment, but basic needs like medication, home and personal needs, gas to and from the hospital in an older and not fuel economical vehicle, plus storage needed for their belongings while their home is on "hold", as well as anything else to get them to their next home after giving up their apartment are truly needed at this time. Please join us in supporting this little local family of 4 as they journey north for several months in positive high hopes of getting little Miss Vi to eat again!!!!! In addition to this gofundme, there is a local charity yard sale and silent auction fundraiser being had in Lakeland on October 12, 2024 at 4500 Williamstown Blvd. at the North Carlton Arms Clubhouse from 11am-6pm. Please connect with us online at #VictoryforVi for more info and to follow along for Vi's journey. For more information about #ARFID and ARFID awareness, check out www.kidshealth.org/en/parents/arfid.html.
Cashapp is $ogsilvermomma
Thank you all for coming together to show LOVE to this sweet family!
Cashapp is $ogsilvermomma
Thank you all for coming together to show LOVE to this sweet family!