Cashel & Allie's Handicap Bathroom
Donation protected
Cashel and Allie Gardner have a neuromuscular disease called Spinal Muscular Atrophy, SMA. SMA causes complete muscle weakness; it is like they are paralyzed from head to toe but thankfully they can still feel everything. Cashel and Allie have the most severe form of SMA, SMA Type 1. Symptoms of Type 1 start at birth.
SMA FACTS:
• SMA is the #1 genetic killer of infants and children
• SMA is a degenerative disease. A baby with Type 1 will never build the muscles needed to have the strength to hold up their head, sit up or walk or speak. They also lose the muscles needed to swallow and breathe. The brain is never impacted.
• 90% of babies diagnosed with SMA Type 1 die by 1-2 years of age without medical intervention. The medical intervention needed is a G-tube placed in the stomach to feed the child and a tracheotomy and ventilator to support breathing for the child.
• 1 in every 40 people (most unknowingly) carries the gene for SMA. It is pan-ethnic, meaning it does not discriminate based on race, ethnicity or gender. ANYONE can be a carrier.
• There is NO CURE but there is HOPE and there are some, like Cashel and Allie that have learned to live with SMA
From the minute each of our babies were born we could see the happiness, intelligence and love for life in their smiles and eyes, we knew we had to give them a chance to live. So we gave their chance to live, as the disease progressed and made them too weak to eat and breathe on their own we stepped in and gave them G-tubes, tracheotomies and ventilators. Cashel is now 18 years old and Allie is 16 years old! Cashel has become an inspiration and mentor to thousands of SMA families and non-SMA followers. By using only his finger to control his computer, he has created a Facebook page and website named SMA IT FORWARD WITH CASHEL to help raise awareness of SMA and to help families diagnosed with SMA with the support and guidance they need to help their children live with SMA. Cashel also works to spread a positive, accepting attitude to everyone. He want to be a motivational speaker in hopes of helping everyone, no matter what their obstacles is, to live a positive life and to be proud of who they are. We are beyond proud of Cashel and the life he is building, I could go on and on about his accomplishments. You can learn more about Cashel by following the link to her FB page or just Google Cashel Gardner to see news stories and videos featuring him.
I am Cashel and Allie’s mom, Sandy, When Cashel was 6 months old he was diagnosed with SMA. We were told to take him home and love him while we could because he would die before his 2nd birthday. I quit my job to spend every moment I could with him. Some call it denial, but I just knew Cashel would live and he would really live! 18 years later, Cashel and his little sister Allie are changing the beliefs about there being ”no hope” and “nothing you can do” once your baby is diagnosed with SMA.
I work side by side with Cashel and Allie’s dad, Brandon and their stepdad, Matt, and with extra help from Cashel and Allie’s little sister, Emily, we all work together we ensure Cashel and Allie are cared for and live life to the fullest. With all the blessings that have come with Cashel and Allie growing up, there have also come some obstacles, Cashel and Allie have outgrown their regular bathtub and their length and weight growth has made it impossible for one person to carry them from their beds to the bathroom. The bathroom they use had a major water leak this year and we had to have sections of the flooring and drywall removed. We are need of converting the bathroom into a handicap accessible bathroom for them. They need an oversized tub to give them baths and physical therapy in. When they are submerged in water their bodies become weightless and they are able to move their arms, legs and torso. Water also relieves back and body aches and help fight off bed sores that occur from always lying in bed. A roll-in shower is needed for washing directly in a bath chair. As you can imagine this kind of bathroom conversion is more than we can afford on their own. We have been working and waiting for 3 years for Make-A-Wish to try and fulfill this as a wish for Allie, but there has been no progress and can’t wait any longer. As hard as it is to accept such generosity from others, we need help to cover the bathroom conversion and continue giving Cashel and Allie the care they deserve. We are beyond grateful to Gary and all the wonderful people coming together and organizing a car show and benefit. Cashel has fallen in love with cars. He is entranced by classics and hot rods and even though he will never be able to drive one he finds just as much joy in looking at them and watching them. We will never be able to thank you enough and words seem so little to cover the gift you are giving to Cashel and Allie and our family. Thank You for caring.
SMA FACTS:
• SMA is the #1 genetic killer of infants and children
• SMA is a degenerative disease. A baby with Type 1 will never build the muscles needed to have the strength to hold up their head, sit up or walk or speak. They also lose the muscles needed to swallow and breathe. The brain is never impacted.
• 90% of babies diagnosed with SMA Type 1 die by 1-2 years of age without medical intervention. The medical intervention needed is a G-tube placed in the stomach to feed the child and a tracheotomy and ventilator to support breathing for the child.
• 1 in every 40 people (most unknowingly) carries the gene for SMA. It is pan-ethnic, meaning it does not discriminate based on race, ethnicity or gender. ANYONE can be a carrier.
• There is NO CURE but there is HOPE and there are some, like Cashel and Allie that have learned to live with SMA
From the minute each of our babies were born we could see the happiness, intelligence and love for life in their smiles and eyes, we knew we had to give them a chance to live. So we gave their chance to live, as the disease progressed and made them too weak to eat and breathe on their own we stepped in and gave them G-tubes, tracheotomies and ventilators. Cashel is now 18 years old and Allie is 16 years old! Cashel has become an inspiration and mentor to thousands of SMA families and non-SMA followers. By using only his finger to control his computer, he has created a Facebook page and website named SMA IT FORWARD WITH CASHEL to help raise awareness of SMA and to help families diagnosed with SMA with the support and guidance they need to help their children live with SMA. Cashel also works to spread a positive, accepting attitude to everyone. He want to be a motivational speaker in hopes of helping everyone, no matter what their obstacles is, to live a positive life and to be proud of who they are. We are beyond proud of Cashel and the life he is building, I could go on and on about his accomplishments. You can learn more about Cashel by following the link to her FB page or just Google Cashel Gardner to see news stories and videos featuring him.
I am Cashel and Allie’s mom, Sandy, When Cashel was 6 months old he was diagnosed with SMA. We were told to take him home and love him while we could because he would die before his 2nd birthday. I quit my job to spend every moment I could with him. Some call it denial, but I just knew Cashel would live and he would really live! 18 years later, Cashel and his little sister Allie are changing the beliefs about there being ”no hope” and “nothing you can do” once your baby is diagnosed with SMA.
I work side by side with Cashel and Allie’s dad, Brandon and their stepdad, Matt, and with extra help from Cashel and Allie’s little sister, Emily, we all work together we ensure Cashel and Allie are cared for and live life to the fullest. With all the blessings that have come with Cashel and Allie growing up, there have also come some obstacles, Cashel and Allie have outgrown their regular bathtub and their length and weight growth has made it impossible for one person to carry them from their beds to the bathroom. The bathroom they use had a major water leak this year and we had to have sections of the flooring and drywall removed. We are need of converting the bathroom into a handicap accessible bathroom for them. They need an oversized tub to give them baths and physical therapy in. When they are submerged in water their bodies become weightless and they are able to move their arms, legs and torso. Water also relieves back and body aches and help fight off bed sores that occur from always lying in bed. A roll-in shower is needed for washing directly in a bath chair. As you can imagine this kind of bathroom conversion is more than we can afford on their own. We have been working and waiting for 3 years for Make-A-Wish to try and fulfill this as a wish for Allie, but there has been no progress and can’t wait any longer. As hard as it is to accept such generosity from others, we need help to cover the bathroom conversion and continue giving Cashel and Allie the care they deserve. We are beyond grateful to Gary and all the wonderful people coming together and organizing a car show and benefit. Cashel has fallen in love with cars. He is entranced by classics and hot rods and even though he will never be able to drive one he finds just as much joy in looking at them and watching them. We will never be able to thank you enough and words seem so little to cover the gift you are giving to Cashel and Allie and our family. Thank You for caring.
Organizer
Sandra Gardner
Organizer
Las Vegas, NV