Support Brandon's Continued Care Costs

Erin Conley is organizing this fundraiser.

Donation protected

We wanted to start by saying THANK YOU from the bottom of our hearts to everyone who has supported Brandon on his difficult journey over the last 7 months. We’ve encountered some extremely trying days, many setbacks, but also a lot of joy, laughter, and love together along the way. As an update to Brandon’s story, after trying to make things work as best as we could in Illinois, we were unable to find Brandon quality care outside of an acute hospital setting, which is not a place someone can stay long-term. We found out early on that Brandon’s injury is complete, meaning his spinal cord is completely severed at the C3 level. He is unable to move or feel anything below his neck. This level of injury also means that Brandon’s diaphragm is paralyzed, and he is fully dependent on a mechanical ventilator to breathe. Brandon requires round-the-clock care to ensure he is safe, but there’s also so much potential for him to live a life outside of the walls of a facility. He is currently in Michigan in a long-term acute care hospital, and we’re working on helping him get the best care possible as his next step.

Here’s where your help comes in. With Brandon’s lengthy hospital stays, most of what he received via GoFundMe initially will go toward medical debt. The average cost of care in the first year for someone with Brandon’s injury is over 1 million dollars, and we’ve far exceeded that amount in the last several months. In order to qualify for Michigan Medicaid and ultimately the MI Choice Waiver program, we’ve had to set up a trust specifically for individuals with long-term disabilities, so that anything Brandon is able to fundraise will no longer impact his eligibility for public benefits. We will be closing down the initial GoFundMe and starting this new one that will enable Brandon to continue to receive help from his wonderful community while also maintaining the quality care that he needs. You might be thinking – ok, but what else would Brandon need if his medical care will eventually be covered?

There’s A LOT that can help Brandon have a significantly better quality of life. Not only are medical supplies expensive, the tools that can help Brandon become more independent, enjoy life, and make his space accessible are also extremely costly. We’ve provided a list of some of the items that people in Brandon’s position might use:

wheelchair accessible vehicle
functional electrical stimulation bike and any other FES gear to assist with muscular atrophy and spasms
additional funds to supplement nursing/caregiver costs
costs associated with home furnishings
quadstick sip-and-puff game controller with mounting arm
custom tray table for power wheelchair
supplies for mouthstick painting
assistive technology for home use
additional funds that may be used for anything outside of day-to-day activities (attending a sports game, going to the movies, having a meal from a restaurant, traveling outside of town, etc.)

We know that the momentum and support behind someone in the early stages of a catastrophic injury can be incredible, and we're so thankful for the massive amount of support Brandon has already seen from his community and from people all over the world. The reality is that Brandon has a lifetime ahead of him and a major need for continued help along the way. Our ultimate goal is to make sure Brandon gets everything he needs to keep going and eventually assist others who have been impacted in similar ways. We would love to keep everyone updated along this new journey here in Michigan, and we hope you can join in on the ride.

So, so much love:

Brandon and Erin