Van for the Lance Family
Donation protected
Our Story at I Crave a Simple Life
Update: Gavin and Gabe are quickly growing up before our eyes which means their equipment is as well! We are in need of a handicap accessible van and we are asking you, friends and family to help us make that happen! We are in need of a vehicle with a wheelchair lift and a place for 7 people to sit as well. Our current van will not last much longer space wise (or mileage- 260,000 yikes!) as Gavin is getting ready to get all the next size larger then the equipment that barely squeezes in the back of the van now. It also has two broken windows, paint peeling, and a side door that doesn't open causing safety and accessibility issues. Any help, advice, kind words, or prayers greatly appreciated! :)
My twins Gavin and Gabe were born at 30 weeks 2 days just 11 short months after our first both Ethan arrived. We were blessed with "Irish Triplets." Our twins developed Twin to Twin Transfusion Syndrome at 16 weeks gestation which required extensive maternal fetal care including repeat amnioreductions and weekly ultrasounds. We were told the boys had a 100% mortality rate unless we tried a new invasive inurtero surgery called Selective Fetoscopic Laser Photocoagulation. We had a 60% success rate to bring both boys home and a 90% success to bring at least one of our babies home. We beat the odds. Gavin and Gabe were born, both, at 3lbs 11oz and 16 in. long. They required a 34 day stay in the NICU, where it was discovered they both had brain injuries called Periventricular Leukomalacia, due to the lack of oxygen supplied to their brains during delivery. The boys were both subsequently diagnosed with Cerebral Palsy and various subsequent diagnos's related to it (vision issues, digestive issues, developmental issues). Gabe has Spastic Hemiplegic Cerebral Palsy. It only affects his lower extremeties.
Gavin has Spastic Quadriplegic Cerebral Palsy which severely limits his mobilities and abilities physically, mentally he is at appropriate age. 
We are down to a one income family in order to stay at home and provide full time care for our boys. This allows us to provide them with all the physical, occupational, developmental, speech, feeding therapies, visits to the nutritionist, cerebral palsy clinic, neurologist, orthpedic surgeon, GI, ENT, fittings for new braces, opthomologist, Botox injections, ect. We are very blessed to have found a way to provide the best care for our boys, but this also means that we cannot purchase all the equipment out of pocket, that insurnace doesn't cover, that would allow our boys to be more comfortable and enjoy life to its fullest. By donating you would be helping the boys reach their highest potentials and live as "normally" as possible. We are trying to raise funds to procure a new minivan or Van with a wheelchair lift and room for the rest of our family (we are a family of 7 total) and equipment to make the world more handicap accessible for our boys.
Top: Gabe 2, Ethan 3, Gavin 2. Middle: Gabe, Ethan, Gavin. Bottom: Gavin, Ethan, Gabe.
Gavin and his big bubba Xavier
Gabe and mama
Update: Gavin and Gabe are quickly growing up before our eyes which means their equipment is as well! We are in need of a handicap accessible van and we are asking you, friends and family to help us make that happen! We are in need of a vehicle with a wheelchair lift and a place for 7 people to sit as well. Our current van will not last much longer space wise (or mileage- 260,000 yikes!) as Gavin is getting ready to get all the next size larger then the equipment that barely squeezes in the back of the van now. It also has two broken windows, paint peeling, and a side door that doesn't open causing safety and accessibility issues. Any help, advice, kind words, or prayers greatly appreciated! :)
My twins Gavin and Gabe were born at 30 weeks 2 days just 11 short months after our first both Ethan arrived. We were blessed with "Irish Triplets." Our twins developed Twin to Twin Transfusion Syndrome at 16 weeks gestation which required extensive maternal fetal care including repeat amnioreductions and weekly ultrasounds. We were told the boys had a 100% mortality rate unless we tried a new invasive inurtero surgery called Selective Fetoscopic Laser Photocoagulation. We had a 60% success rate to bring both boys home and a 90% success to bring at least one of our babies home. We beat the odds. Gavin and Gabe were born, both, at 3lbs 11oz and 16 in. long. They required a 34 day stay in the NICU, where it was discovered they both had brain injuries called Periventricular Leukomalacia, due to the lack of oxygen supplied to their brains during delivery. The boys were both subsequently diagnosed with Cerebral Palsy and various subsequent diagnos's related to it (vision issues, digestive issues, developmental issues). Gabe has Spastic Hemiplegic Cerebral Palsy. It only affects his lower extremeties.
Gavin has Spastic Quadriplegic Cerebral Palsy which severely limits his mobilities and abilities physically, mentally he is at appropriate age. We are down to a one income family in order to stay at home and provide full time care for our boys. This allows us to provide them with all the physical, occupational, developmental, speech, feeding therapies, visits to the nutritionist, cerebral palsy clinic, neurologist, orthpedic surgeon, GI, ENT, fittings for new braces, opthomologist, Botox injections, ect. We are very blessed to have found a way to provide the best care for our boys, but this also means that we cannot purchase all the equipment out of pocket, that insurnace doesn't cover, that would allow our boys to be more comfortable and enjoy life to its fullest. By donating you would be helping the boys reach their highest potentials and live as "normally" as possible. We are trying to raise funds to procure a new minivan or Van with a wheelchair lift and room for the rest of our family (we are a family of 7 total) and equipment to make the world more handicap accessible for our boys. Top: Gabe 2, Ethan 3, Gavin 2. Middle: Gabe, Ethan, Gavin. Bottom: Gavin, Ethan, Gabe.
Gavin and his big bubba XavierGabe and mamaOrganizer
Jessica Lance
Organizer
Auburn, IL
