It is with great pride that Michael and I officially launch our
foundation,
Showing superior power
or strength.
Exceptional. Invincible.
Unlimited.
During the last
year, we have juggled raising a rambunctious, hilarious toddler, two babies (fifteen
months apart) and the blessings that come with a medically-fragile, special
needs child. Through all of our experiences, we are only certain of the
following:
1) Each child’s potential is unlimited.
2) As parents, it is our mission to ensure they have equal opportunity.
1) Each child’s potential is unlimited.
2) As parents, it is our mission to ensure they have equal opportunity.
Sadly, more than
half of our time is allocated to fighting insurance, researching financial
resources, applying for grants and begging for Medicaid.
Besides standing
in long lines at the Department of Social Services, working with countless
social workers and hammering our state and local constituents for resources
available for babies like Shaw… we learned that we are not alone. Countless
families, innumerable children are denied financial resources for the critical,
doctor-assigned care for their development.
India Soloman,
mother to preemie LJ, could not get the therapy and long term care her son
desperately needed for the best quality of life. She was forced to quit her
full time job and go back to school, in order to qualify for Medicaid to guarantee
her son would receive therapies, equipment, etc. (Don’t get me started
on the entire healthcare plan). But these are choices families in predicaments like ours are faced
with.
Leslie Glenn,
Pediatric Physical Therapist recently said, “Lack of access to therapy can lead
to serious deficits - permanent deformity, limited skill development or lack of
locomotion. I am still haunted by a child that was denied both therapy and a
wheelchair by insurance.”
As Michael and I
continue to navigate the world of insurance, healthcare, Medicaid, grant
writing and advocacy for Shaw, we have identified there is an enormous deficit
for middle class families, just like ours.
We created Bee
Mighty to help those families faced with unexpected medical crisis following in
our path. Bee Mighty was
established so that families can focus on each other and concentrate on the
development of their child without the added stress of financial ruin. Our mission
is to provide financial assistance to the parents of micro preemies already battling
significant medical challenges with limited financial resources, enhancing the
child’s development and quality of life.
Bee Mighty is a
non-profit, 501(c) (3) fund, providing tax deductions for all that show their
support. We are most excited about our recent partnership with The Presbyterian
Healthcare Foundation and Hemby’s Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (where Shaw
called home for 122 days).
Our
foundation will help provide financial support (traditional and alternative
therapies, medical equipment like leg braces, wheelchairs, etc, which are often
denied to a child). These tiny babies are mighty in spirit and deserve the best
chance to overcome the obstacles they are facing.
We have been so
blessed with your support and prayers these last seventeen months. We ask that
you donate, if you are able and directly impact the lives of children like
Shaw. If you cannot donate at this time, please share our story – with your
families, churches, friends and colleagues. Awareness is half the battle.
Checks to: Bee Mighty
c/o Presbyterian
Health Foundation
PO Box 33549
Charlotte, NC
28233-3549
All donations are tax deductable.
100% of the proceeds go to the development of
the child.
Please support our
quest to make a difference in the lives of other preemies, as we continue to
watch Shaw inspire all of us.
Sincerely,
Team Richter
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