Irish Ogorman Surgery and Recovery

Hi! My name is Jennifer Baird. I am raising funds to help two of my favorite people, Irish Ogorman & his mother, Jennifer Sparks-Guynp. Irish is a fifteen-year-old Calistoga native and a student at Calistoga High School. People young and old are drawn to Irish's positive energy. To know him is to love him...

WHY SHOULD WE HELP IRISH  

In 2019, Irish was diagnosed with a very aggressive Ideopathic Scoliosis. At that time, the surgeon informed Jennifer and Irish that because the curve in his spine is located up high { where the vertebrae are very small}, he would not be able to straighten his spine in surgery, but could fuse it in place, preventing it from getting any worse, OR, they could try a newer, less invasive surgery called Vertebral Spinal Tethering. They would secure one side of his spine with screws and put a Tethering device on the opposite side. As he grew, the tether would slowly pull his spine into place. They chose the less invasive procedure with the more hopeful outcome. It would be a waiting game. Jen and Irish were patient. Although they never saw improvement and Irish's pain increased, they were encouraged by doctors to "wait and see".

Last week, they were devastated to learn that the Tethering attempt had indeed failed and that Irish must now  have the more invasive Spinal Fusion to stop the progression.  It is now an urgent need as Irish's spine is rapidly getting worse, threatening his lungs and other internal organs. Surgery is scheduled for March 29th. 

IRISH IS NO STRANGER TO CHALLENGES

Jen refers to him as her warrior.

When Irish was just seven months old, he was diagnosed with a connective tissue disorder that restricts him from playing most sports and makes things like buttoning his shirt or tying his shoelaces daunting tasks. But Irish manages. It just means he gets up a little earlier in the morning.

After two grand mal seizures, Irish was also diagnosed with Epilepsy in the last year. He has started seeing a Neurologist at UCSF and has shown us so much courage as he learns to navigate yet one more challenge. 

Because of these conditions, Irish and Jennifer spend a great deal of time traveling to and from Docter appointments, therapy appointments and seeing various specialists.

SOME WORDS ABOUT MY FRIEND JENNIFER

Jennifer is a single mother who lost her husband in 2020 . As Irish's sole provider and sole caregiver, she struggles to make ends meet. Jennifer always stays positive and is a pillar of strength for Irish. She carries an enormous amount of pressure and responsibility. She and Irish are both warriors, and daily, I am amazed by their resilience. To add to Jennifer's already mammoth load, her car was totaled two weeks ago, leaving them with no transportation. The very same day, her wallet was stolen. Savvy thieves were able to deplete funds before she even knew her wallet was missing. Jennifer is now faced with not knowing how she will get Irish to his multiple pre and post-operative appointments at UCSF. The little money she had is now gone. This is a crisis situation.

HOW WE CAN HELP

Your donations will go toward their immediate needs: groceries, reliable transportation and making modifications to their home to accommodate Irish post-surgery. The funds will also help with any uncovered medical bills and supplies. Irish will require Jennifer's 24/7 care for quite some time. He needs to have Jennifer solely focused on his health and recovery. Jennifer may not be able to return to work for months while Irish needs her 24/7 care. Jennifer deserves to sleep at night without constant worry about rent and bills during this time. They need all the help they can get from friends, family and the community. Let us do what we can to let these very good people know they are loved and supported. No donation is to small. Thank you in advance for your prayers and well wishes. Please share this link on your social media platforms to help me get the word out. I will post regularly to keep you all informed of Irish's progress. In paying it forward, we are all part of his journey.

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IRISH AND JEN, YOU ARE LOVED