Helping Vanessa Jimenez-Rabbon with ALS expenses

Vanessa was diagnosed with ALS October 4, 2023.

ALS, or amyotrophic lateral sclerosis is a nervous system disease that affects nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord. The disease causes loss of muscle control and gets worse over time. The first signs of ALS are often trouble speaking, slurred speech and muscle twitching or weakness in an arm or leg. As ALS progresses it eventually affects the muscles needed to control movement, speaking, eating and breathing. There is no cure for ALS, the disease is fatal.

In the few months since her diagnosis Vanessa's life has already changed drastically. She is unable to speak, walk without assistance and cannot eat most foods. She has also been experiencing a lot of pain, muscle spasms and has difficulty sleeping more than a few hours a night. Vanessa has always been an independent, hard working and active person, so this rapid progression of her symptoms has been devastating to her and her family.

Vanessa, her four beautiful children and loving husband Lawrence are still processing the many changes that have become their new norm. However at the same time they are having to look ahead and plan for the next stages in her disease and determine how they can provide her with the full time care she will need. While medical insurance covers the basics of her care (medication, enteral nutrition/feeding tube supplies and Dr. appointments) there are many more expenses that Vanessa will need help with. Her family will need to make modifications to their home to make it wheel chair accessible, purchase necessary equipment and supplies that are not covered by their medical insurance and also ensure that she has in-home support services in place to provide her with the daily care she will require.

Please consider donating any amount you are able to help support Vanessa and her family . If you are not able to donate, please say a prayer for Vanessa, who is a beautiful, devoted, loving mother of four and also a new wife, sister, daughter, niece, and good friend to so many, that she can continue to "fill her lungs with air " every day.