analogscout15 said:Hey everyone—I’m reaching out to ask you, personally and on behalf of little Taylor's parents, if you could please chip in whatever you can to help this sweet girl. I found this post on Facebook and really wanted to invite you all to join the support group. http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gi...0366093&ref=ts)
Also, if you have any friends abroad who might be able to help, please feel free to copy and send them the English version. Here is the info.
"Will Taylor be able to walk, laugh, talk, listen, and just be the kid we all dream of seeing?
Of course she will! She was born with some medical challenges, and the only way forward is through an incredibly expensive stem cell therapy. Her mother—who works hard to support them on her own—and the rest of the family just can't cover the costs, so they are asking for our help.
We truly believe anyone who gives even a small amount will feel so much joy one day when Taylor is able to thank them herself.
We know she will!
If you can help, please send your donations to the Chase Bank account held by her mother, Maša Čiča, at 47 Ocean Drive, Miami.
Domestic Account Number:
2484008-3234146994
International Wire Info:
2484008-4210997849
Thank you so much in advance for your kindness!"
Please join the "For Taylor" group here http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gi...0366093&ref=ts
FOR TAYLOR
Is Taylor going to walk, laugh, talk, listen, and be the child we all want her to be? Of course! Although she was born with certain medical issues, the only path to progress is through specialized, high-cost stem cell therapy. Since her mother is working solo to provide for the family and cannot afford these treatments alone, she is asking for our help.
We are certain that anyone providing even a modest contribution will find great happiness one day when Taylor is able to thank them in person. We are sure it will happen!
Donations can be sent to the account at Chase Bank – 47 Ocean Drive, Miami (under the mother's name, Maša Čiča).
SWIFT CODE: CHASEUS33
IBAN: US 2524840084210997849
Account No.: 4210997849 Contribution 7383
Hey everyone—just checking in.
I'm reaching out to you all from over here in Japan—my daughter, Tessa, and I are currently traveling for some medical treatment.
Tasa was born on January 14, 2009—she actually arrived six weeks early via an emergency C-section. Things were pretty critical right after the birth, so she was rushed straight to the NICU at Children's Hospital of Philadelphia. She stabilized fairly quickly, but because of some severe asphyxia, there was significant brain damage. As a result, Tasa has been diagnosed with hydrocephalus—she had a shunt installed just a month ago to drain the fluid—and epilepsy.
She finally got released after spending two and a half months in the hospital—but it was only for a little while. I actually had to bring her right back in two weeks later because of an epileptic seizure. She ended up staying there until we left for our trip to China.
Even as they kept bumping up her medication doses, Tina’s condition just kept sliding—it honestly felt like we were hitting a dead end. The doctors weren't exactly giving us much hope, either; their only real suggestion was to just keep cranking up the meds to try and get those seizures under control. To me, though—and I might be wrong here—that never felt like a real solution. It felt more like they were just masking the symptoms. Her core issue wasn't actually the epilepsy itself, but rather the underlying brain damage that was causing all those symptoms in the first place.
That was when it hit me—there just wasn't anything left they could do for her back home at Mayo Clinic. The doctors there are truly wonderful people and they gave us everything they had, but they’d reached a wall where they simply couldn't help anymore.
What Tasha needed now was someone who could actually break through those barriers. Even before my kids were born, I knew that if it ever came down to it, I would be that person.
And man, did I have the motivation! Beneath all those scary symptoms and diagnoses, I just saw this sweet, brave little girl who needed help. More than anything, I just saw my own child.
Ever since Tasha was born, knowing how limited traditional therapies can be for these kinds of conditions, I've been hunting for something that could offer real improvement. I read up on stem cell therapy online and reached out to pretty much every clinic in the world specializing in neurological disorders. Sadly, nobody wanted to take on such a tiny baby. But after searching forever, we finally heard back from the Wu Stem Cell Center in Beijing—they said they were willing to accept her, and that being so young might actually help her recovery.
Dr. Wu and Dr. Wang, the lead physicians here, are top-tier neurologists and pioneers in stem cell application; they've even developed their own specialized method to make the treatment more effective.
Knowing the risks and the weight of it all, I brought Tasha to Beijing, and we've been at the hospital for ten days now. Everyone here is so kind and down-to-earth—honestly, it feels a bit like being home. And I don't even have to mention that Tasha is the absolute darling of the staff; they've never treated a baby this small before. They even gave her a Chinese nickname, Sha-sha, which means "very sweet."
We're already seeing the first changes within these first ten days of therapy. The frequency and duration of her seizures have dropped drastically, and she's much calmer. After the first dose of stem cells two days ago, she only had two very short episodes. But, you have to be patient and cautious here—we won't see the true results for another two or three months. Dr. Wu actually told me that bringing her this early was a "move of the century."
And so, our little girl from the Midwest has become one of the first babies in the world to undergo this kind of treatment!
The thing is, this therapy is going to be a long haul and incredibly expensive. To cover this first round, I took out a $18,000 loan, and so many people stepped up with donations. I am just so grateful to everyone because that's what allowed us to get out here so quickly. I know that each person who helped made sacrifices to do so, and that's something I value immensely. I hope they feel nothing but pride in having helped—that's something no one can take away from them.
I also want to thank the "Children with Love" foundation for being so selfless in organizing the support for Tasha!
And thank you all for being here—for sharing our story in the media to help raise funds for her future treatment and for spreading the word. If we see the results we're hoping for (and we already are), I want to make sure other parents facing this know that this help exists.
Tasha and I might have missed the big games here in Beijing, but we're definitely coming home winners! For me, failure isn't failing—it's not trying. Everything else is a win.
Best,
Masa Cica