Reed Family Battle Danon's Disease
Beverly, Joshua and Cale Reed are among just 100 people in the world to be diagnosed with Danons Disease, which is a genetic disorder that causes potentially deadly heart abnormalities.
This family has been battling with this disease for over ten years.
At the age of 22, my cousin, Josh, received a heart transplant after years of his struggles with this debilitating disease. Josh has been doing well until recently being diagnosed with stomach cancer. This is just one of many struggles this family will now have to go through.
Josh has a younger brother, Cale. After the relief of Josh finally receiving the gift of organ donation that saved his life, Cale’s health started to deteriorate rapidly and was also told he was in need of a heart transplant to save his life. For the family to have to go through this, not only once, but twice with 2 of 3 sons, was gut-wrenching to say the least.
Just when things started looking up, after both Josh and Cale received the gift of life from organ donation, their mother, Bev, succumbed to this horrible disease. While Bev was in the Alfred hospital receiving treatment, her 21 year old son, Cale, contracted a virus that saw his heart start to reject, placing him in ICU, in an induced coma, fighting for his life only levels away from his mother in the hospital.
Sadly, after an agonizing three week battle, the family watched their youngest son lose the battle of his life. This was an unexpected, heart-breaking tragedy. If the past few years’ worth of awful struggles weren’t enough for this family. November 2015, only just ten weeks after losing their son Cale, Bev was also given the gift of life, through having a heart transplant, herself.
The Reed family have been struggling with this emotional roller coaster that they call life, for many years now, and now they face another obstacle. The financial burden is now taking its toll. My Uncle has to take time off work, to be his family’s full-time carer. He drives them to their hospital appointments in Melbourne several days a week. They have massive medical bills. They are still paying off laying their son to rest. Their daily expenses are building up fast, to the point where they are far outweighing their income.
After having to watch my family suffer through these horrific circumstances, one after another, I am writing to try to help them out in any way possible. I would do anything I possibly could to help out my family, as anyone that knows and loves this beautiful family would.
I am now asking that if anyone is able to help my family. Even the smallest donations would be greatly appreciated and would help out the Reed family, immensely.
I would like to thank each and every one of you for taking the time to read my family’s story. If you would like to read more, I have attached some links to some articles written on the Reed family’s struggles.
Madi Reed xx
FAMILYS TRAGIC FIGHT AGAINST A RARE DISEASE
BRAVE HEARTS KEEP FIGHTING
REED FAMILY RECEIVES NEW GIFT OF LIFE AFTER HEART TRANSPLANT
TRIBUTES FLOW AFTER GEELONG CALE REED LOSES BRAVE TRANSPLANT BATTLE