Main fundraiser photo

TEAM ABBEY: Lifting Abbey Up

Donation protected
The account has been created to help the Frost family with all the medical expenses for Abbey as well as travel expenses since none of her doctors are local. See below to read about Abbey's journey.

Abbey is a 15 year old freshman at Northside High School. She enjoys watching movies, shopping, drawing, and hanging out with friends. Abbey loves children and enjoys teaching Sunday School at church. Although, Abbey is quiet and somewhat shy, she has always had a love for cheerleading. Abbey started competitive cheerleading when she was 5 years old. This past year, she cheered on Northside’s varsity cheer squad and competition team which was a dream-come-true for her.

During those early years of cheerleading, Abbey would periodically complain about her joints hurting. Her doctors thought it was probably just growing pains or pains from over-working her joints during tumbling. Over the years, however, the pain increased. Last year, after examining Abbey, her doctor suggested that she might have a condition called Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome and referred her to a specialist in Richmond.

Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome (EDS) is a connective tissue disorder characterized by defects in the body’s collagen. There are 6 types of EDS. Abbey has the hypermobility type which often causes the most pain. There is no cure. Symptoms such as abnormally flexible, loose joints that may easily become dislocated; unusually loose, thin, stretchy skin; and excessive fragility of the skin, blood vessels, and other bodily tissues and membranes have to just be managed.

A couple of months after her diagnosis, a new symptom started. Abbey started blacking out at home and at school. She would black out and fall to the floor up to 10 times a day without warning. We learned that the majority of people with EDS also have another syndrome called Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome (POTS). Symptoms of POTS include weakness, chronic fatigue, dizziness, lightheadedness, difficulty thinking (“brain fog”), loss of consciousness, rapid heart rate, and tremulousness.

We were referred to another specialist, this time in Northern Virginia. Our newest doctor confirmed all of Abbey’s diagnoses. He also ordered blood work that confirmed that she also has Lyme disease. This disease is still very new for us and we are only in the beginning stages of learning about it.

Abbey is on a difficult journey. Her diagnoses are a struggle physically and emotionally for her every day. She spends much of her time in severe pain, unable to get out of bed or walk. Occasionally, she has a good day and is able to get out of the house for a while. She has to be very careful on those days as to not overdo it or her pain will flare up again. This year, Abbey had to give up cheerleading. She also had to leave Northside High School and her friends and go on homebound schooling.
Donate

Donations 

  • maxine drewry
    • $25 
    • 6 yrs
Donate

Organizer and beneficiary

Team Abbey
Organizer
Roanoke, VA
Alan Frost
Beneficiary

Your easy, powerful, and trusted home for help

  • Easy

    Donate quickly and easily.

  • Powerful

    Send help right to the people and causes you care about.

  • Trusted

    Your donation is protected by the  GoFundMe Giving Guarantee.