Get Gia Going
Donation protected
Hello everyone. My name is Mark. I've never done this before so please bear with me as I try to explain what is happening and why help is so desperately needed. The help I need is not for myself but for a friend. A wonderful fellow named Ivan, more specifically for his beloved daughter Gia. Gia is a wonderful young person filled with love and life. Unfortunately Gia has been stricken with Congenital Muscular Dystrophyand is wheelchair bound. Ivan is a great father with health issues of his own and he has been trying every legal means to get assistance for Gia.
Ivan has been fighting for his little girl for years and has been frustrated by the uncaring and callous bueracracy of the courts and heartless profit driven insurance companies. This is a hard working God fearing man who has never asked for a hand out in his life. He provides for his cherished Gia and it breaks his heart on a daily basis that he cannot provide many of the things she needs to live a dignified and happy life. The family's life is consumed with endless doctor visits, court hearings, social worker and council appointments, not to mention the routine daily trials and tribulations that we all face.
Recently Gia's specialized wheelchair has broken and besides that she has had it for so very long that she has all but outgrown it. This chair was the only means of any semblence of mobility and independence Gia had.
Ivan can explain it better than I, so I will share this message Ivan sent me during one of our conversations:
"Gia has had the same wheelchair since she was 3! Shes 10 now. She's outgrown it years ago and complains she's not comfortable in it any more. She has been having bad days in school bc she can't get comfortable. Since gia is 100% immobile and depends on her fingers to manipulate the chair. That's why she needs such an expensive chair. The cost of it is about 17k but is big wirh a large comfy seat, moves rapidly and also reclines and goes up and down since she can't use her arms they are too weak. But her old wheelchair doesn't even work anymore. She's sad and feels no independence at all. It breaks my heart the insurance company comes up with bullshit reasons why they deny her claim. Even after many doctors and specialist recommendations, they still deny it."
Can you imagine trying to come up with $17,000.00 for just a wheelchair alone? Now the courts say tough cookie Ivan, your insurance doesn't need to lift a finger to help! And that's just for the chair. What about doctor bills, court fees, lawyer bills. Ivan is just a working man, at least he tries to be when his time is not consumed by doctors, lawyers, and courts. All he wants to do is to be able to provide for his daughter and spend some precious time with her! Instead he is forced to spend much of his time fighting these cold hearted fiends. The stress and worry must be unbearable!
If you don't have tears in your eyes yet for this adorable little girl I warn you waterworks are just ahead!
From Ivan's Facebook:
"As i was putting gia to bed last night, she starts talking about her disability. Asking me why she can't walk. That she's tired of being in a wheelchair. She wants to do things like other kids like sit at a regular desk. I'm still messed up over it today. God help me!"
"Awesome so just opened a letter from the courts and judge favored the insurance Co so gia is losing her private duty nursing! Couldn't come at a worse time too! Middle of moving and being sick myself. How will she go to school? I'm not trained to monitor blood pressure. How will I work? I knew this might happen but I'm still blown away! Just want to disappear sometimes! Ugh"
"So many Dr appts between me and gia...my head's spinning!
March 21st internal medicine...me
March 21st Gi...Gia
March 22nd MRI...me...
March 23rd dentist...me
March 27th blood work...me
March 29th pulmonary...Gia
March 30th neorology...me
April 13th orthopedics...Gia
June 10th cardiology..Gia
Just what I was able to schedule this week have more to come ugh...who wants to trade lives with me? Lol ahhh"
And finally:
"We were in the hospital when Gia had pneumonia, gia had a roommate. This child in her room rarely had visitors. This broke Gias heart bc she always had one of us by her bedside. So with tears in her eyes gia asked me if she could do something to cheer him up? I said sure Gia what would you like to do? She replies I could take money from my piggy bank and get him a gift. Will that cheer him up daddy? I said that would be awesome Gia! Can you believe this child's heart? Sick in the hospital for weeks with tubes and devices buzzing all day and all she thought of was that little boy!"
So Gia was so excited to show me her collection box to raise money for kids with cancer! She said... "I'm gonna give it to kids with disabilities!" Omg tears she's always thinking of others...
It's heartbreaking really. To know this little child is to love her. She is an incredible soul with a beautiful selfless heart of gold!
I apologize for the long winded plea, but I really want to touch each of your hearts and hopefully if you are able I implore you to give any amount you could...
Ivan has been fighting for his little girl for years and has been frustrated by the uncaring and callous bueracracy of the courts and heartless profit driven insurance companies. This is a hard working God fearing man who has never asked for a hand out in his life. He provides for his cherished Gia and it breaks his heart on a daily basis that he cannot provide many of the things she needs to live a dignified and happy life. The family's life is consumed with endless doctor visits, court hearings, social worker and council appointments, not to mention the routine daily trials and tribulations that we all face.
Recently Gia's specialized wheelchair has broken and besides that she has had it for so very long that she has all but outgrown it. This chair was the only means of any semblence of mobility and independence Gia had.
Ivan can explain it better than I, so I will share this message Ivan sent me during one of our conversations:
"Gia has had the same wheelchair since she was 3! Shes 10 now. She's outgrown it years ago and complains she's not comfortable in it any more. She has been having bad days in school bc she can't get comfortable. Since gia is 100% immobile and depends on her fingers to manipulate the chair. That's why she needs such an expensive chair. The cost of it is about 17k but is big wirh a large comfy seat, moves rapidly and also reclines and goes up and down since she can't use her arms they are too weak. But her old wheelchair doesn't even work anymore. She's sad and feels no independence at all. It breaks my heart the insurance company comes up with bullshit reasons why they deny her claim. Even after many doctors and specialist recommendations, they still deny it."
Can you imagine trying to come up with $17,000.00 for just a wheelchair alone? Now the courts say tough cookie Ivan, your insurance doesn't need to lift a finger to help! And that's just for the chair. What about doctor bills, court fees, lawyer bills. Ivan is just a working man, at least he tries to be when his time is not consumed by doctors, lawyers, and courts. All he wants to do is to be able to provide for his daughter and spend some precious time with her! Instead he is forced to spend much of his time fighting these cold hearted fiends. The stress and worry must be unbearable!
If you don't have tears in your eyes yet for this adorable little girl I warn you waterworks are just ahead!
From Ivan's Facebook:
"As i was putting gia to bed last night, she starts talking about her disability. Asking me why she can't walk. That she's tired of being in a wheelchair. She wants to do things like other kids like sit at a regular desk. I'm still messed up over it today. God help me!"
"Awesome so just opened a letter from the courts and judge favored the insurance Co so gia is losing her private duty nursing! Couldn't come at a worse time too! Middle of moving and being sick myself. How will she go to school? I'm not trained to monitor blood pressure. How will I work? I knew this might happen but I'm still blown away! Just want to disappear sometimes! Ugh"
"So many Dr appts between me and gia...my head's spinning!
March 21st internal medicine...me
March 21st Gi...Gia
March 22nd MRI...me...
March 23rd dentist...me
March 27th blood work...me
March 29th pulmonary...Gia
March 30th neorology...me
April 13th orthopedics...Gia
June 10th cardiology..Gia
Just what I was able to schedule this week have more to come ugh...who wants to trade lives with me? Lol ahhh"
And finally:
"We were in the hospital when Gia had pneumonia, gia had a roommate. This child in her room rarely had visitors. This broke Gias heart bc she always had one of us by her bedside. So with tears in her eyes gia asked me if she could do something to cheer him up? I said sure Gia what would you like to do? She replies I could take money from my piggy bank and get him a gift. Will that cheer him up daddy? I said that would be awesome Gia! Can you believe this child's heart? Sick in the hospital for weeks with tubes and devices buzzing all day and all she thought of was that little boy!"
So Gia was so excited to show me her collection box to raise money for kids with cancer! She said... "I'm gonna give it to kids with disabilities!" Omg tears she's always thinking of others...It's heartbreaking really. To know this little child is to love her. She is an incredible soul with a beautiful selfless heart of gold!
I apologize for the long winded plea, but I really want to touch each of your hearts and hopefully if you are able I implore you to give any amount you could...
Organizer
Karen Mark Owens
Organizer
Bordentown, NJ