Lauren's story
Hi, my name is Dean, Lauren's Grandfather. I have served the Canadian public during the first Gulf War, the former Yugoslavia, and more recently in Afghanistan.
My daughter and her fiancé gave birth to a beautiful baby girl on the 12th of December, 2012. When Lauren was six months old, her mother, Megan was feeding her solids for the first time. Lauren aspirated and stopped breathing, and 911 was called. She was admitted to The Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario (CHEO). After a lengthy stay and many tests, it was determined that Lauren was born without Myelin (a protective and essential nerve coating that passes messages inside the brain). This news was very hard for Megan and DJ to hear, because they never suspected that anything was wrong with Lauren before her stay at CHEO.
Lauren is now 14 months old, and has recently undergone her second MRI, and the results were not good. The specialists (neurologists) that deal with this type of genetic disorder are dumbfounded, and cannot categorize her problem.
Lauren's file/case will be sent to scientists in the Netherlands and the US for further examination, with hope that there is a ground breaking technique or possibility for Lauren to undergo some type of treatment.
Lauren is a special child, she is always happy, and although she is very limited to lying down most of the time she is making progress the only way she knows how. Her eyesight is very limited (legally blind) and she uses a Gastrostomy tube to feed. She is now 20 pounds and her mental state is similar to a four month old, but developing on a daily basis.
With your help, her parents will be able to travel and seek the specialists care that Lauren is going to need. My daughter, Megan, has been by her side 24/7 since this all unfolded. The money would also go to helping her young parents succeed in their own lives, and I know that this will be greatly appreciated.
More pictures and videos to follow soon.
