All for Andy

Last year, Andy Kaplan was diagnosed with two different, both highly rare neurodegenerative genetic conditions, Batten Disease and Sanfilippo Syndrome. His doctors believe he is the only person to ever be documented with both conditions simultaneously. Both of these diagnoses are terminal.

As both conditions are neurodegenerative, they have already caused him to lose significant skills and mobility in a short amount of time. Despite the challenges, his family is working to manage his symptoms and provide him with the highest quality of life by surrounding Andy with love, compassion, and the best possible medical care available.

Andy will be turning four years old in November. Over the past year, as Andy has continued to grow and his condition has progressed, it has become more difficult for him to navigate his environment safely and consistently walk longer distances. Andy requires frequent trips to doctor appointments, therapies, and hospital visits on top of commuting to and from school every day. It has become necessary to plan for the future where he will eventually need a wheelchair to get around. In addition, the Kaplans will need to retrofit their home to accommodate the wheelchair and purchase a wheelchair accessible van, ensuring his safety on every journey. This is especially important since, once Andy outgrows his current car seat, his wheelchair, secured to the inside of his car, will keep him the most safe, regardless of his ability to position himself. While insurance can help cover the cost of his wheelchair, there is no assistance for wheelchair vans. A new accessible van can cost upwards of $80,000.

Our goal is to raise funds to help the Kaplan family purchase a wheelchair-accessible van, modify their home so that it is accessible as Andy’s needs continue to grow, and to keep up with his mounting medical expenses.

Thank you for considering a donation to this worthy cause. Your support will make a significant difference in the lives of the Kaplans, especially Andy.

Love,

Colleen & Adam Kaplan

Mary & Dan Mostyn

Ed Kaplan

For large donations, checks are encouraged to prevent processing fees. Please let us know if you want your name listed here or if you wish to remain anonymous.

Want to learn more about Andy and how to support him and his family? Please check out www.allforandy.com.

What is Batten Disease?

Batten Disease is a genetic disorder. It typically develops symptoms in late toddlerhood/early childhood. It presents as kids begin losing skills they previously had. It basically attacks the spine and legs as well as causes blindness. Children typically lose mobility and skills leaving them bedridden until death.

What is Sanfilippo Syndrome?

Sanfilippo Syndrome is a genetic metabolism disorder. It leads to serious problems for the brain and nervous system- essentially kids' version of Alzheimer’s. It will likely cause Andy quite a bit of pain somewhere down the line as the disorder manifests.