Caring for Baby Declan
Donation protected
This GoFundMe campaign has been initiated by fellow Marines who are part of the “3d Force Family” for Sergeant Christopher C., his wife Jenny, and their baby boy Declan. Baby Declan was born on August 4th, 2020 and was barely home for two months before experiencing life threatening breathing issues, resulting in him being hospitalized and then transported 300 miles via life-flight to Wolfson Children’s Hospital in Jacksonville Florida.
Baby Declan spent nearly three months there on life support where he underwent numerous tests that uncovered his diagnosis: spinal muscular atrophy with respiratory distress type 1 (SMARD1), a rare neuromuscular disorder involving death of motor neurons in the spinal cord which leads to a progressive atrophy of body muscles.
Jenny stayed with him the entire time and Chris stayed with him for two weeks until his paid time off ran out. He was then able to visit only intermittently to help give Jenny an opportunity to rest. On January 5th, Chris was able to accompany little Declan on a 5-hour ambulance ride back to their home. Baby Declan requires 24/7 care by Jenny and Chris. Jenny doesn’t leave his side throughout the day and Chris helps at night after he gets off work.
Jenny had to quit her job and so they have only one income and Chris’ employer’s insurance does not cover Declan’s care and so they are trying to get additional nursing care through WellCare to help during the week when Chris is at work. They had saved for years before having Declan, but their savings was wiped out in 2018 when their house was destroyed by Hurricane Michael and their remaining salvaged belongings were stolen out of a storage unit. So, this has been an extremely difficult two years for them.
Fortunately, their church community has been helping immensely with prayers and preparing meals for them nearly every day and Chris, since he is an electrician, was able to wire a generator up to the house to provide emergency power for Declan’s life support equipment in case they lose electricity.
Now, though, they need to be able to get Baby Declan to the hospital for appointments and their small car won’t fit him and all his medical equipment. They are trying to put together enough money to purchase a used but reliable minivan and could use as much help as they can get with this.
They would also value prayers during this very difficult time and are grateful for everything that everyone has done so far to help them.
Please consider donating to this very worthy cause and if you know someone who has a reliable minivan or owns a dealership and who might consider deeply discounting one or donating one, please do comment below so we can contact you!
Thank you and Semper Fidelis
-The 3d Force Family
Baby Declan spent nearly three months there on life support where he underwent numerous tests that uncovered his diagnosis: spinal muscular atrophy with respiratory distress type 1 (SMARD1), a rare neuromuscular disorder involving death of motor neurons in the spinal cord which leads to a progressive atrophy of body muscles.
Jenny stayed with him the entire time and Chris stayed with him for two weeks until his paid time off ran out. He was then able to visit only intermittently to help give Jenny an opportunity to rest. On January 5th, Chris was able to accompany little Declan on a 5-hour ambulance ride back to their home. Baby Declan requires 24/7 care by Jenny and Chris. Jenny doesn’t leave his side throughout the day and Chris helps at night after he gets off work.
Jenny had to quit her job and so they have only one income and Chris’ employer’s insurance does not cover Declan’s care and so they are trying to get additional nursing care through WellCare to help during the week when Chris is at work. They had saved for years before having Declan, but their savings was wiped out in 2018 when their house was destroyed by Hurricane Michael and their remaining salvaged belongings were stolen out of a storage unit. So, this has been an extremely difficult two years for them.
Fortunately, their church community has been helping immensely with prayers and preparing meals for them nearly every day and Chris, since he is an electrician, was able to wire a generator up to the house to provide emergency power for Declan’s life support equipment in case they lose electricity.
Now, though, they need to be able to get Baby Declan to the hospital for appointments and their small car won’t fit him and all his medical equipment. They are trying to put together enough money to purchase a used but reliable minivan and could use as much help as they can get with this.
They would also value prayers during this very difficult time and are grateful for everything that everyone has done so far to help them.
Please consider donating to this very worthy cause and if you know someone who has a reliable minivan or owns a dealership and who might consider deeply discounting one or donating one, please do comment below so we can contact you!
Thank you and Semper Fidelis
-The 3d Force Family
Organizer and beneficiary
3d Force Family
Organizer
Panama City, FL
Christopher Carpenter
Beneficiary
