I’m going to deviate from my normal posts about ghosts or farts, or the combination of the two, and write about something very important to me.
“Do good anyway…” Yes, I’ve written about that before, but this time is a bit different. Bare with me.
It’s more than three words, permanently inked on my foot. More than a quote Mother Teresa adapted from a poem to use in one of her speeches. It is the way I hope to live my life, and the way I hope to inspire my children to live theirs. It means that when you see something you can do to help your fellow human, you do it, even if it’s inconvenient or no one ever turns around to nod their head in your direction to say, “Thank you.”
So in honor of doing good for others, I want to give you all an opportunity to do something totally amazing. I want to introduce you to my best friend Cara’s little girl, Abigail (who also happens to be the little sister of Riley, my daughter Ella’s besty). During her birth, Abigail suffered from meconium aspiration and was not breathing. No one realized at the time, that she had also suffered from bilateral damage to the message center of her brain which tells your body to move and talk. It wasn’t until Abigail began to miss developmental milestones that her parents suspected something was wrong with their precious, little girl.
Five years later, Abigail is a beautiful, bright-eyed preschooler. If you ask my four year-old Brielle who her best friend is, she will rattle off three names: Julia, Hazel and Abby. Although Abigail is unable to walk or talk, Brielle begs to see her besty and can’t stand to go a week without playing with her. She takes more joy in making Abby giggle than almost anything else. When it’s time for us to leave, and Abby cries because she doesn’t want us to go, it melts my heart. Their friendship is one of the most beautiful things I’ve ever seen.
One day, I pray that Abigail might be able to sit up without assistance, to stand on her own, to communicate with more than her giggles or tears…but in order to overcome the damage in her brain, she needs therapy several times a week and daily work on strengthening her muscles. Unfortunately, there are therapies and devices that could help Abigail become stronger that are not covered by insurance.
Here’s where the doing good part comes in. A friend of Abigail’s family has set up a “Give Forward” campaign. Their ultimate goal is to raise enough money for Abby’s family to get a wheelchair friendly van with a lift system because this kid has places to go, and things to do and see! I would love to see them have enough for that and more! I want to see Abigail attend the intensive therapy program that isn’t covered by insurance, but could help Abby strengthen her muscles to increase the odds that she may one day be able to stand beside Brielle, hand in hand like their big sisters do.
I will never shy away from inviting you all to support creative projects my friends are working on, and this is an even greater cause than any independent film I might be linked to or project I support. This is all about the quality of a little girl’s life and how we can come together to help her family make it the best possible one she can live. Look at this precious girl, and take a moment to consider what you can do to help her. Then visit her site and show your support! Every little bit helps!
