Help Noah and Becca Meet Their Basic Needs

Noah Cardin is a delightful young man with many permanent health problems, which require constant care and periodic hospitalization. Noah was born 23 years ago with multiple birth defects, including chronic hydrocephalus (what is commonly known as “water on the brain”) and a cleft palate. Because of his medical conditions, Noah cannot communicate verbally and is unable to walk. His birth defects also left him with one eye. The hydrocephalus causes excess fluid around his brain and requires a shunt. Over the course of his life, Noah has had more than 70 surgical procedures—over 40 before he had his 5th birthday.

Noah’s mom, Becca Cardin, has been his sole caregiver for his entire life. Noah’s father has never been involved in his child’s upbringing and Becca’s parents are both deceased.

In the midst of extremely difficult circumstances, Becca put herself through graduate school when Noah was young, hoping to provide a better life for her son. Throughout the years, though, she’s faced repeated employment challenges, as she’s often had to take significant time off because of Noah’s medical condition. She has always been willing to do whatever she needs to do to provide for Noah, though she’s often barely scraping by in low-paying jobs.

Becca’s co-workers have always respected her work ethic and her courage. In fact, when Noah was hospitalized for over two months last year, co-workers donated their own personal sick time to allow Becca to keep her job for as long as possible. Ultimately, though, she had to resign, as she had no further access to paid time off and did not qualify for FLMA benefits.

The stops and starts to Becca’s career, a direct consequence of her love and need to care for her son, have made it difficult for her to stay employed and meet their basic necessities. They also have substantial unreimbursed expenses for medications and specialized care.

When Noah’s not facing medical challenges, though, he’s a happy and engaged young man with a sense of play. Here are Becca’s words about her son:

“Noah is the happiest soul I know. He brings me continual joy and enjoys life tremendously. I am ashamed of the prayers I had for what I then thought was a “normal” child: there is no such thing. I wish Noah didn’t have to have so many surgeries (the majority of which have been hydrocephalus-related), but he will have to have them throughout his life; I am grateful that he is exactly the way he is.”

We started this GoFundMe to help Becca meet their basic financial needs and to establish a cushion in the event Noah again requires long-term hospitalization. Our goal is $10,000, which will help Becca pay rent, utilities and other basic necessities while she continues to pursue full-time employment.