Donor support transforms the lives of Brenda and her son.
Today, I’d like to share my son, Maclain’s, story with you. To tell you a little about my son, he is many things – he is kind, determined, a true fighter, he also has cerebral palsy. Maclain’s story began earlier than expected on August 2, 2007, when he was born 11 weeks premature as a surviving twin. Maclain spent his first months in the hospital in intensive care. Like many newborns, he developed jaundice. But by the time he received treatment, it was too late. We were told that the jaundice had caused irreparable damage to his brain. I look back on the day we received this news and still remember the feeling of devastation and disorientation as I tried to imagine what the future would hold for my son and for our family.
“As a mother, I had no idea what I was facing. It was terrifying news. Over the next few years, our family was forced to navigate a new and unfamiliar world about which we knew nothing.”
Maclain was diagnosed with cerebral palsy with hearing impairment before his first birthday. As a mother, I had no idea what I was facing. It was terrifying news. Over the next few years, our family was forced to navigate a new and unfamiliar world about which we knew nothing. It felt as if there was no end to the overwhelming amount of information we were to learn if we were to be able to provide the best life for our son. A jarring discovery that we soon made was the amount of specialized equipment Maclain needed for his everyday life, and their impossible costs. The number of equipment items needed was shocking, wheelchairs to be independent; a commode to use the washroom; ramps for accessibility; and that was only the beginning. We needed help.
Will you make a gift today to give kids the mobility equipment they desperately need?
Imagine you had to physically lift your 160 lb. teenager out of bed and into his wheelchair. That would be my reality without a lift. Imagine you could not go to a baseball game, or on a camping trip with your family. That would be my reality without a commode. Now imagine you couldn’t give your child the equipment they needed to live safely in their own home. That would be the reality for families like mine without people who care.
“The number of equipment items needed was shocking, wheelchairs to be independent; a commode to use the washroom; ramps for accessibility; and that was only the beginning. We needed help.”
Thankfully, we weren’t alone. And that’s where our stories meet. Like a warm helping hand, the Easter Seals Ontario community was there for us. Easter Seals Ontario supporters and families are an important part of that community. You were there for my family when we had nowhere else to turn, and I can share my story today because of you.
Thank you for taking the time to read my story. And thank you for being a valuable part of my community.
Sincerely,
Brenda Agnew
Mother, and member of Easter Seals Ontario’s Board of Directors