Help support Hannah with her teeth!

Hello! My name is Taylor and I’m reaching out to my friends, family, and network to help raise money for my sister Hannah. Asking for money isn’t something I’ve done before, but my family has gotten to the point where it’s absolutely necessary.

Hannah was born with a rare hereditary condition called Ectodermal Dysplasia (ED) which affects the skin, sweat glands, hair, teeth, and nails. Specifically with teeth, ED causes missing or pointed teeth as well as an abnormally shaped jaw.

Since Hannah was young, she has dealt with temporary upper teeth since she has few upper teeth and she only has 2 lower molars. These implants and jaw surgery will give her both sets of teeth permanently.

Unfortunately, medical/dental insurance does not cover teeth implants for Hannah as this is deemed “cosmetic” (crazy, I know!) My mom, Molly, has been fighting alongside other parents with children affected by ED to pass a national bill called “ELSA” which stands for “ensuring lasting smiles act” that allows implants to be covered by insurance for people with conditions such as this. Sadly, the bill has not been passed since her condition is so rare and it’s gotten to the point where Hannah needs these surgeries to have a normal life with teeth and we can’t wait any longer to see where the bill goes.

All of that said, Hannah completed phase one thanks to so many generous people in September of 2023 where $17K was due up front. We surpassed that goal in 3 days! She completes phase 2 next week (July 2024) which our family has covered. This includes a major jaw + bottom implant surgery. She will have to take time off of work from her nursing job to heal from her surgeries/procedures. The final phase will be over $60K which is due this year. She still has a long road ahead of her, and money is the last thing I want her to have to worry about.

We’ll be doing an online auction August 4th where all proceeds will go to her gofundme and would love to have business owners in the MN area who are interested in donating services/products be included! Please reach out if you are interested.

Auction details: Date: Sunday, August 4th Time: 8:00am-8:00pm CST Link: www.32auctions.com/hannahsmile

 

Anything helps and my family is so appreciative of anyone who can donate or share this post with their networks. Please reach out if you have any questions. Thank you so much for your consideration!

Link to ELSA for more info- https://www.nfed.org/get-involved/advocate/ensuring-lasting-smiles-act/