The Doucette Family

Hi! My name is Mandee and I am fundraising for my youngest brother Dillon (31) and his wife, Kaitlin(32)! This is a young, fun and vibrant family who has felt tragedy strike. They have a healthy marriage of 12 years, and four amazing children, a thirteen-year-old, an 8-year-old, a four-year-old, and a one-year-old.

After four long years of being desperately ill and not knowing what the problem was, Kaitlin was accepted by the Mayo Clinic in Scottsdale, Az. Many months of tests and invasions have been completed and they now have some news!! We are thankful for the answers, but very overwhelmed by what this now means….. It has been an extremely trying and heart-wrenching journey for so long, and they are FINALLY at the end stage where procedures can be performed to give their healthy wife/ mother back to them!

Kaitlin has been diagnosed with several issues, including Chairi l Malformation in the brain, which blocks cerebral spinal fluid from flowing as it should. It is causing pressure buildup in the brain and is stopping the brain from sending signals to the rest of the body correctly. The imaging shows spinal fluid in the nasal cavity as well. This beautiful soul is in the final stage of pelvic floor dysfunction, has four of the five organ prolapses, has breathing and heart rate issues, has body temperature control issues, and has nervous system issues. They found out yesterday that there is suspected spinal fluid leakage in the body as well. More testing is set for this coming week, and then surgery on the skull/ brain will be scheduled... followed by the spine and pelvic surgeries to correct damages done by the brain issues over the last four years.

Topping this off, Dillon has also survived Melanoma cancer TWICE, the first time seven years ago, and most recently just a few short months ago. He has to check in with dermatology every three months and will continue check-ins for the next five years to make sure that he is remaining in remission.

Dillon has an amazing job for a fantastic company and he is this family's sole provider. These dire situations have put him at his limit. This family NEEDS our help, and I am stepping in to ask when they don't ask for themselves. They have been so strong and courageous through it all, protecting their kids' peace and leaning on one another in these times like no other..... They have had to use his PTO to take Kaitlin to and from specialist appointments several times a week, his 401k, his paychecks, and his bonuses to cover the mounting medical bills and transportation costs, all while providing a safe home, healthy meals and clothing, and homeschooling during extreme illness (they have to travel so often that public school is not a current option for the children). He has been a tower of strength through it all, his serious medical stuff notwithstanding.

Any funds raised will go directly to the Doucette family to help cover the continuing cost of travel to and from specialists, upcoming major brain, pelvis, and spine surgeries, the lost wages when he has to go on FMLA to nurse his wife after her surgeries, and to pay the medical bills which are ever accruing. We always ask why bad things happen to good people, and there will likely never be answers, but we do have the most amazing tribe who is always here to lift each other up when someone falls down. I am counting on us all to help lift these who have fallen in desperate times.

If you have ever been touched in any way by me, or any member of our family, I pray that you will be led to help me in easing this burden. We cannot control most of these circumstances, but we can help with finances and prayer while the war is being fought. Please join me in showing them that there IS light at the end of the tunnel! Thank you in advance, from the deepest parts of my heart, for the outpouring of love and support when they need it more than they ever have before. Bless you, always, every day, in every way!