Donations Needed for Gracie Rowe
By JENNIFER SMITH
Hello again friends. A few years ago I wrote about the sweet little girl pictured here, my niece Gracie Rowe.
At the tender age of 14 months old she was diagnosed with an auto immune disease called Idiopathic Systemic Rheumatoid Arthritis, which means that the disease not only affects her joints, it affects her vital organs as well.
When we placed an article in the paper a few years ago, it was about Gracie being a part of Arthritis Walk Atlanta for the first time.
This past May, Gracie Lou and her crew attended the walk for the third year and won for having the most of amount of walkers. When we initially wrote we were asking for donations to the Arthritis Foundation on her behalf to help fund research on a cure and prevention. The response was overwhelming! Thank you Jasper County!
This time we are asking for donations again, but not for the Arthritis Foundation, for Gracie herself. You see, although she attended the walk for the third time this year, she had to do so in a wheelchair, it was too painful for her to walk.
Shortly afterwards she was admitted to Egleston Children’s hospital because of complications with the disease and an infection. The infections came because of her disease being auto immune, which means she basically doesn’t have an immune system and has to go so far as to wear a mask when out in public. The mask doesn’t keep everything out though, and when Gracie gets sick, she’s really sick.
This was her second stay at the hospital this year, each for a week at a time. During the most recent stay, it was discovered that the disease is progressing and that her body is becoming resistant to the many medications that she has been on.
Gracie’s mom and dad are two of the kindest, strongest, bravest, and most courageous people I have met. We take for granted sometimes that our children can run and jump and play. Gracie cannot. It’s truly heartbreaking for her parents.Gracie’s mom, Jessie cannot work because of the care and isolation that Gracie needs.
The medical bills have become truly overwhelming, and more than anyone should have to deal with. For example, Gracie has an IV infusion therapy that leaves her parents with a balance due of $840—and she gets the infusion every 10 days!
She also had surgery this last stay in the hospital to have a port placed since she receives so many medications through injection. They tried to put it on the left side of her chest, but to no avail, they had to put it on the right side. So she had to recover from two surgery sites, instead of the one.
Furthermore, since the disease is progressing it is now in her back. This poor child has endured more pain in her four short years than any of us will experience in a lifetime. To give her back, her hip, her knees, and her ankles a break, she is to ride in a customized wheelchair, one that won’t be too hard on her shoulders, elbows, wrists, and fingers.
Every single joint in her tiny body have been affected except for one hip and one shoulder. She currently takes seven medications a day, a low dose chemotherapy injection once a week and a two hour infusion therapy every ten days.
She is also receiving physical therapy twice a week. Could you imagine just the amount of money that her parents are spending on gas alone going back and forth? Not to mention the balance due after insurance pays and insurance won’t cover her physical therapy at all.
Egleston suggested to Gracie’s parents, Kenny and Jessie, that they do a fundraiser through them. Egleston helped to set up the whole thing. This is where you can learn more about Amazing Gracie and her disease, and see pictures of just how cute this little angel is. It is also where you can donate money to help with her medical bills.
Many of you called and said that you wanted to donate directly to Gracie, previously and like I said, the response was overwhelming!!! This current fundraiser is a way to donate directly to Gracie, it will help with her medical expenses as well as her customized wheelchair.
The goal is $5,000 and every penny counts. Let’s do this Jasper County! The website is www.youcaring.com/fundraiser/amazinggracielou. Or if you prefer to make the donation through Gracie’s parents, you can reach Jessie at 678-749-4839 or email her at gracieloucrew@yahoo.com. Thank you in advance for your support, and if nothing else, please continue to keep her in your prayers.
