mariyanaorphanfund: Help Elysse!

Help Elysse!

Meet Elysse

Elysse and Lina have the same birthday except that Elysse turned 9 years old and Lina turned 6 years old!

Elysse and her family live in the Philippines!

Elysse and her family are dear friends of our family!

Elysse's mommy is a ministry partner for Ting Ministries/AJ's Allies!

Did you ever hear of Mitochondrial Disease?

http://www.umdf.org/site/pp.aspx?c=8qKOJ0MvF7LUG&b=7934639

What is Mitochondrial Disease?

Mitochondria exist in nearly every cell of the human body, producing 90 percent of the energy the body needs to function. In a person with mitochondrial disease, the mitochondria are failing and cannot convert food and oxygen into life-sustaining energy. For many, mitochondrial disease is an inherited genetic condition, while for others the body's mitochondria can be affected by other environmental factors

How does Mitochondrial Disease affect the body?

The parts of the body that need the most energy, such as the heart, brain, muscles and lungs, are the most affected by mitochondrial disease. The affected individual may have strokes, seizures, gastro-intestinal problems, (reflux, sever vomiting, constipation, diarrhea), swallowing difficulties, failure to thrive, blindness, deafness, heart and kidney problems, muscle failure, heat/cold intolerance, diabetes, lactic acidosis, immune system problems and liver disease.

Manila, Philippines during Avigayil's pick up trip

Lizbeth, Elysse, Sasha, Avigayil, Stephanie, Sister Dell

Elysse loved Sasha!

Ministry partners meeting in Manila just last month!

Dell, Malen, Lizbeth, Roy

More to be shared soon about Malen's ministry

www.hfgf.org and their mission in the Philippines

and AJ's Allies mission happening NOW through our Ting Ministries!

BUT BACK TO ELYSSE and why the POST and CHIP IN TO HELP ELYSSE NOW!

Who is Elysse? Elysse is the daughter of our ministry partner in the Philippines!
Why help Elysse? Elysse has been diagnosed with Mitochondrial Disease and they have run out of help in the Philippines for Elysse. Can you imagine what that feels like to have no more help available - to run out of hope for your child? Maybe some can imagine and have been in that position to not know how to help your child any more medically - when a doctor says "There is no more I can do"!

When Lizbeth and I spent time together in Manila during Avigayil's 16 day pick up trip the idea began to stir for Lizbeth and Ramon to bring Elysse to the United States to see what more could be done medically to help Elysse. There was so much to be done...Passports, the difficult process of getting a Visa to the United States, medical files, x-rays, documents from doctors in the Philippines to some hospital/doctor here in the States, the difficult task of finding a hospital and doctor that would agree to see Elysse, the expenses of travel, housing, and then the HUGE expense of medical testing here in the United States for the beginning process of HOW TO HELP ELYSSE!

A year and 1/2 later it has happened...

Visas, passports, entry to the United States, an appointment at the world renowned hospital with a wing built for Mitochondrial disease patients and 2 airline tickets purchased but the costs of the necessary tests without US insurance is outrageous!!!!

Check out the costs of some of the most needed tests for Elysse.

The initial Consultation alone is $700.00

and this is set to happen on December 14th (at this time Elysse and her family will be staying with our family)!

But check out the cost of the Labs:
Labs:

Nuclear Gene Mitochondrial Disease panel $6,500.00 Whole mtDNA sequence analysis $4,560.00 Genome wide array and DNA extraction/interpretation $4000.00 Metabolic screening lab work and urine $6,200.00

This is why I am setting up a chip in at the side bar for anyone wanting to help with the cost of the labs for Elysse.

Anyone wanting more information may contact me directly at

tingministries@comcast.net

Elysse's family worked so very hard for the past 1 and 1/2 years (not to mention the 9 years of Elysse's life in Philippines where there is not much support to families with children with special issues). But rather than focus on worry, themselves and why me questions Lizbeth and Ramon have chosen to not only get on board with Ting ministries and help more children with special needs they have also begun to set up a school in the Manila area where children with special needs can be educated alongside children who are "normal"! They have spent their lives caring for Elysse!

The plane tickets for Elysse and Lizbeth were brought by funds that were raised at a concert given in honor of Elysse's birthday in the Manila area of the Philippines!

Many came to support and bless Elysse but Lizbeth tells me that those that came were blessed themselves by what they heard and learned about children with special needs! LIZBETH and ELYSSE are being a VOICE FOR THOSE WITHOUT A VOICE!

ELYSSE'S LIFE IS A TESTIMONY OF LOVE

Elysse like Sasha, Ellianna, Avi and Lina are voices for the voiceless!

Lizbeth and Ramon speaking at the concert to raise awareness of children who have no voice and much need. In the background you can see a photo of Sasha, Elysse, Avigayil and myself.