Friday, December 18, 2009

JACOB'S FUND - Tony

Last week we received an e-mail from McKenna Farms with a new photo of one of the children we’ve been helping to receive hippotherapy through Jacob’s Fund. His name is Anthony and we met him earlier this year. He’s been doing therapeutic riding at McKenna Farms for more than two years. After being on the horse, Tony’s sense of accomplishment and confidence soar. He is seventeen and, though he copes with autism, he has a very positive outlook on life. Tony needs every ounce of optimism he can muster.

When funds are available, Tony rides every week, the one constant in his life. Sadly Tony’s mother, Carol, was diagnosed with esophageal cancer last year and pausing for her treatment has drained the family’s financial resources. The funds are depleted.

Tony recently competed in the Equestrian Special Olympics. Thankfully, his mother and some folks from McKenna Farms were on hand to watch him at the event. A representative from McKenna Farms shared these heartfelt words:

“Tony’s mom is extremely grateful for the scholarship he received from Jacob’s Fund. She says Tony will be able to continue doing what he has a passion for – riding. She also said that her cancer came back and they are giving her one year to live. It was heartbreaking to hear her and not be able to do anything.”

While we may not be able to help Carol, we can make a difference in Tony’s life. A regular riding schedule is important for his growth and his ability to cope with autism and the stress of his mother’s illness.

The cost of Tony’s therapeutic riding sessions for one year is $2,600. Jacob’s Fund wants to provide this continuing source of well-being and confidence that Tony so much needs. If you would like to help Tony in this very stressful coming year, please click on the donate button on the right, or send a check to the address at the top right of the page.

Thursday, December 17, 2009

FaceBook & Twitter

The Red Thread Promise has been on Twitter for a few weeks and now we have added FaceBook to our repertoire.

FACEBOOK
Become a fan today. Keyword: The Red Thread Promise

TWITTER

Follow us on Twitter. Search trtpromise


Thursday, December 10, 2009

CHINA :: ORPHAN PROFILE - Zheng Qiu Hao



We received word from Swallow's Nest in Henan yesterday that one of their babies is in need of urgent care. Her name is Zheng Qiu Hao and she was born July 24, 2009. She has been at Swallow's Nest Children's Home since September 28th.
Qiu Hao had spina bifida surgery in October at Shanghai Children's Hospital, funded by Swallow's Nest (39,160.75 yuan or $5,733 US). Thankfully, she recovered fine from the surgery. Swallow's Nest then sent her to Beijing for serial casing of her club foot. Their trained staff noticed that her head had grown quickly from the last time they had seen her. The two entities began comparing measurements from September to December and it was determined that she needs a shunt for hydrocephalus.
Again, not being a medical professional, I had to look up hydrocephalus to find out more about it. According to Hydro-kids.com, hydrocephalus is the medical term for a condition that is commonly called “water on the brain.” The liquid involved in hydrocephalus is not really water at all; it is cerebrospinal fluid or CSF. CSF looks like water, but it contains proteins, electrolytes, and nutrients that help keep your brain healthy. The most important purpose of CSF is to cushion your brain and spinal cord against injury. Your brain produces about 1 pint of CSF per day. It circulates through a network of tiny passageways in your brain, and ultimately into your blood stream where it is absorbed by your body.
Hydrocephalus occurs when the delicate balance of CSF production and absorption is disrupted and CSF builds up in the brain. This build-up of CSF causes the brain to swell, and for pressure to increase inside the skull, resulting in nerve damage.
It is our hope to give Qiu Hao the gift of health for Christmas this year. The procedure to put in the shunt costs 30,000 yuan ($4,500 USD). Swallow’s Nest will pay all transportation costs and send a worker to care for her in the hospital. Sadly, Swallow’s Nest’s unspecified medical fund is like that of The Red Thread Promise – nearly empty.
However, we believe in that the red thread of destiny has connected us to Swallow’s Nest and Qiu Hao. We also believe in the Power of Ten. The concept is simple: one donor gives $10. Then he (in this case “she”) asks 10 friends to donate $10. If each of them in turn asks 10 more friends, we can fund this baby’s surgery in a heartbeat.
Please consider the Power of 10 today and help us give this beautiful baby the gift of health this Christmas. Donations can be made through The Red Thread Promise’s PayPal link on the right or you can send a check to the address at the right.