Travels with Our Trachie
Session 16: Charitable Foundations
Age three was an exciting year for our trachie. Not only did we start our camping adventures, we were also introduced to a local foundation that provides monthly adventures for families of children with life-threatening medical conditions.
I was thrilled for the opportunity to connect with other special needs parents and especially excited for our daughter to see other children that require medical intervention. The monthly adventures provide free admission and meal vouchers for the entire family to various surrounding venues.
The first adventure we participated in was at the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium, followed by a visit to King’s Island amusement park, and another adventure to Zoombeezi Bay waterpark. A Kid Again provided an exciting summer for our family but we had yet to meet any other families. With the venues being so large and open to the public as well, it didn’t facilitate the connection I was hoping for with other families.
Thankfully, there were some adventures with a more intimate setting, such as the Valentine dance, which offered the opportunity to mingle. The first time our daughter pointed to her trach and then pointed to another child with a trach to show us that he had a trach as well was such a heartwarming moment. We believe it was just as rewarding for our older girls to see other families with medically fragile children and it helped them to understand that we weren’t alone in our journey. Their friends at school didn’t have a sister on a ventilator, but they were able to witness dozens of other families that looked similar to ours.
It is humbling to be reminded that there are so many other families carving out their new normal and determined to show their medically fragile children a life full of adventures. It is also humbling to see the amount of organization that goes into planning these events and to realize the vast amount of generosity that has made these moments possible.
What a blessing that such organizations exist to serve children facing tremendous battles. I know that each of these types of organizations must have an inspiring story that gave birth to the desire to serve the community. I am so thankful for all the individuals and businesses who have donated their time, talents, and financial support to non-profit organizations all over the world. May the Lord continue to bless each of their missions.
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