Shop for a Cause

I didn’t think much of donating to charities 5 years ago. Until my son was born. How were we to cope when we could barely afford food or pay the bills? How in the world were we going to be able to purchase the much needed medical equipment for our infant son? I couldn’t work because he needed constant care. He was in and out of the hospital numerous times. We endured many many scary situations and surgeries.

 

I have lived that life of not knowing where the money is going to come from. Easter Seals came to our rescue and paid for my son’s medical equipment. Without them we didn’t know what would have happened. The years have been great and Little Monkey has come along way. Gone is the feeding tube, the many therapy appointments, doctor’s visits and surgeries. But God has shown us that help is needed again in our family.

 

If you have been reading my blog for a while, then you know about my brother and  his wife’s struggle with the birth of their daughter Bella (name changed to protect her Identify). If you don’t, let me recap for you. Bella was born with Penta X syndrome (also known as Pentasomy X). This means she was born with 5 X chromosomes . She is one of 24 babies in the world to be born with this disorder. You can read more about Penta X, here.

 

In addition to this very rare disorder, she was also born with four holes in her heart, congestive heart failure, malrotation of her intestines as well as some of her bones, fused bones, and severe feeding issues.  This beautiful angel has already suffered through three surgeries to place a PEG tube, repair two of her holes in her heart, and to repair the malrotation of her intestines. The surgeries are still up and coming but they are not has scary as the most recent ones.

 

Since then she is home with a pulse oximeter, oxygen, feeding tube and feeding machine, and a suction unit. These items are expensive, even with insurance. My brother and his wife struggle daily to pay the bills (home and medical), pay for gas for trips to the doctor and therapy, to buy groceries, and much needed baby items.

 

My brother is working but work is scarce in the construction business. My sister in law can’t work since Bella needs 24 hr. constant care. They are exhausted and emotionally, physically, and financially strained. They desperately need help.

 

Having lived through this myself, I felt God put it upon my heart to help them anyway I can. We are not rich and have no money to offer them but I want and need to help them.

 

That is when I came up with “Shop for a Cause”. I am inviting all shop owners (online and brick and mortar) to donate the sale of one or more items to Shop for a Cause. The money will be used to buy gift cards for groceries, help them pay for the medical equipment, buy their gas  etc.

 

For those who choose to participate, Every Monday I will post a Mr. Linky so that you can list those items that you have designated to Shop for a Cause. Every month or so I will post a progress post for Bella as well as donations. 

 

My goal is to not only help my brother and sister in law but to be able to help many families with special needs children around the world. Even if I am able to help one or two other families those lives will be greatly enriched because of your generosity.

 

Will you help them?

 

Please place this button on your shop site or your blog no matter if you are participating or not. Tell everyone let’s help these families as best we can!

 

If you need more information or have any questions feel free to contact me. My email address is in the contact tab under the header.

 

<a href="http://www.three-peas.com/2009/08/shop-for-cause.html"><img src="http://steventiffanie.com/shopforacause/shop-for-a-Cause.jpg"/></a>

 

 

Tiffanie