JACOB'S FUND :: Prayers for Fabiola

In loving memory

Sweet, sweet Princess. It is with heavy hearts that we share that she passed away early this morning. 

Yesterday morning, she came through her open heart surgery fine. By afternoon, the medical team was already discussing plans for her next procedure in 6 months following her expected recovery. Yet sometime during the night she slipped away. 

Tomorrow TRTP VP, Sonya, her children, and a friend will be visiting Princess's mother, Fabiola, to comfort her in any way possible. Sonya is printing out the photos she took of her two days ago and framing them to give as a gift - a small something for Fabiola to take home. We cherish the photos and hope that the family does as well. 

If you pray, please say a prayer for the family who is in deep mourning. If you think positive thoughts, please send your energy to them. The mother, father and grandmother's separation from one another must be unbearable. 

Gifts in her memory are gratefully accepted. Please write "Princess" on the memo line. To make a gift via credit card, visit our website. To make a gift via mail, please make checks payable to The Red Thread Promise:

The Red Thread Promise
249 N Belfield Ave
Havertown, PA 19083
Attn: Kathy Korge Albergate

Thank you as always for your support for all parents that grieve the loss of a child.

JACOB'S FUND :: An overwhelming day

Princess and Jacob Noah Beachy

Our hearts are OVERWHELMED today. It is a day for CELEBRATION, MEMORIES, TEARS, and most importantly, HOPE. 

Today we honor the life of Jacob Noah Beachy, namesake for Jacob's Fund, the US arm of The Red Thread Promise. Today would be his 10th birthday, a day we celebrate every year. Jacob was born with a heart condition that required multiple surgeries; complications from his final procedure took him from us 3 years later. While his life with us was brief, his memory continues to make a lasting impact on children with disabilities. We honor him every time we award a hippotherapy ridership to a disadvantaged child. Along with his family, we are happy that a bit of Jacob lives on in every child who receives this life-changing treatment.

On this same day 7 years later , an infant girl with a similar heart condition went to Nationwide Children's Hospital in Columbus, Ohio for open heart surgery. Today, tiny Princess, a Haitian infant just 6 months old and barely 10 lbs, had her first of several critical operations, under the skilled hands of the same surgeon in the same hospital where Jacob was treated. Both children will forever hold a special place in our hearts.

We ask for your prayers and positive thoughts for this little girl, her mother, the surgeon and the hospital staff. Although she made it through surgery, we are unsure of her status as of this post. We trust that everything went well, and following all procedures, she will grow up to lead the most normal life possible in Haiti with her family. The Red Thread Promise will continue to support Princess and her mother, Fabiola, while in the States as well as in their home country.

Your donations make a huge difference in the lives of disabled children in the United States and abroad. Please consider making your next gift to The Red Thread Promise in honor of Jacob to help children like Princess receive the medical care and therapy they need to lead the fullest life possible. Thank you for your support and for sharing this critical need with others so we can make a huge impact on children with disabilities.

To make a gift via credit card, visit our website.

To make a gift via mail, please make checks payable to The Red Thread Promise:

The Red Thread Promise
249 N Belfield Ave
Havertown, PA 19083
Attn: Kathy Korge Albergate

HAITI :: Critical time-sensitive request for host family in Columbus, Ohio

Meet Princess. 

Her story is heart-wrenching, but there's hope on the horizon. Long story short, she was born with a serious heart defect that MUST be operated on & quickly. Thankfully, Nationwide Children's Hospital (Columbus, OH) has stepped up to the plate!!! Just this morning a host family was found to house Princess and her mom when they come to the US for her surgery - hopefully in May! 

This is where we need your help. We are looking for a backup host family. Why? Because sometimes things don't turn out as planned - families have emergencies, kids get sick, jobs are lost, circumstances change. Our goal is to find a second family - people with a big heart, extra space and ready access to Nationwide. 

Interested in becoming a host? 
Email us and we'll give you all of the details available at this time. 

Want to help? 
You can do so via PayPal or by sending a check to:

The Red Thread Promise
249 N Belfield Avenue
Havertown, PA 19083

Be sure to mark "Princess" in the memo line.

Many thanks to Morna Smith from Nationwide Children's Hospital for reaching out to us for help! It is both our duty and our pleasure. And thank you to John Carroll from Haitian Hearts for bringing light to this child's needs and for his work on behalf of the Haitian people. Together, we can make a lasting difference!

For more info on Princess:

http://blogs.pjstar.com/haiti/2014/02/27/princess-buggie/

http://blogs.pjstar.com/haiti/2014/04/13/princess-is-still-fighting/

As we wait for her VISA to be processed and for her arrival in Columubs, please keep this child and her family in your thoughts and prayers over the next few critical weeks. Of course, we'll keep you up-to-date on her progress.