Caring for a loved one with special needs is a unique challenge. My name is Gabriel Harber and my youngest daughter, MarLeah, has a rare genetic condition known as MRD-24.

You may be wondering why this GoFundMe page is so barren compared to other campaigns. The truth is that I’m one man with no experience developing an app or fundraising, but I do have an idea that I believe could be an invaluable resource for countless people who care for loved ones with special needs. If you’re willing to give me five minutes of your time and watch the rest of this video, I think you’ll believe in the idea too.

The result of MarLeah’s condition is that she has profound intellectual disability and is completely nonverbal, among countless other symptoms.

Regular, everyday activities like using the potty, bathing, eating, and sleeping all present challenges for MarLeah and her caretakers. Providing care for her in these areas, and countless more, must necessarily be tailored to her unique situation.

This has always left me with an uneasy thought. Given the nuanced nature of MarLeah’s needs, what would happen if I was no longer able to provide care for her?

Many of you who care for a loved one with special needs have undoubtedly experienced this feeling to one degree or another. Whether it's impossible to find a babysitter for a few days, you’re recovering from illness or surgery, or any number of countless other scenarios. How would a new caretaker know to provide proper care for your loved one? God forbid the worst should happen and you pass away.

With this thought eminent on my mind, the idea for the Marby App was born. At first I had no intention of creating a tool for others to use. I was simply seeking peace of mind. I began to create a digital archive of information about MarLeah, categorized by subjects like “bathroom & pottying”, “eating”, and “playing”. I then recorded as much information as possible about MarLeah under each of these headings. After filling out information for broad categories like the ones I just mentioned, I began focusing on more specific ones like “blood draws”, “ear infections”, and “headaches”.

This all seemed overwhelming at first. There was so much information I wanted to record, and I had no idea where to begin. I decided that no matter how overwhelming it seemed, I could commit five minutes per day to recording information into MarLeah’s file. This may not seem like much, but five minutes everyday adds up. After a year I had compiled a massive encyclopedia on my child!

This is what the Marby app is all about. Users will receive a notification once per day to enter information into their child’s file. Once they begin entering information, a five-minute timer begins. It really is that simple. Five minutes per day towards building peace of mind and the assurance that your loved one with special needs will always receive the care they need in order to thrive.

Beyond just the peace of mind that this project gave me, it also proved to be incredibly useful in many other ways.

First off, there was the ability to search the entire file by keyword. This was extremely helpful during times when I needed to quickly locate a note I had made. The keyword search also serves as a wonderful tool for any new caretaker to quickly read up on specific information. Is your loved one having trouble sleeping? Not eating their meal? Acting agitated? A quick keyword search will cross-reference all notes and bring up the relevant information for a fast solution to the problem.

This system of note-taking is also extremely helpful for visits with medical professionals. I went from fumbling through the countless thoughts racing through my mind when discussing MarLeah’s health, to providing detailed notes on her current symptoms and difficulties, current and accurate medication lists, and pre-planned lists of questions. It has been  extremely encouraging and empowering to take firm control over her healthcare. I even began saving pictures and videos of her behaviors within the file to share with her doctors.

I also began saving PDF scans of important documents from her school, therapists, and doctor’s visits directly into her file. It’s nice to have her MRI scans, her IEP, and her genetic reports all in one place!

There’s also be a “to-do list” functionality built in, so you can keep your doctor’s visits, prescription refill dates, and other critical appointments and engagements logged within your loved one’s file.

This system of creating a searchable, shareable “encyclopedia” of your loved one with special needs is why I started this campaign. I have no experience when it comes to programming apps, marketing, or anything else related to development of a product like this. With your support, I’ll hire the people necessary to bring this project to life!

Now, everything I’ve described previously is the initial product I’d like to create. I do have a number of other ideas that I believe could build upon the Marby App in the future, and put even more tools and resources into the hands of those who care for loved ones with special needs. A few of those ideas include:

• The ability to connect with Marby-certified caretakers in your local area for babysitting and other caretaking needs (think illness or surgery recovery).
• The ability to share your loved one’s file directly with their medical professionals, so you and the doctors can communicate back and forth regarding their care.
• A peer-to-peer social media network that would allow you to connect with other Marby users around the world. Nearly everyone who cares for a loved one with special needs has spent countless hours on sites like Google and Quora, asking questions and searching for answers. Imagine being able to connect directly with thousands of other caretakers to exchange advice, ideas, or just lend a sympathetic ear.

Please consider helping to fund this campaign, and together we can empower those who provide care for loved ones with special needs. I’m excited to bring the Marby App to life with all of your help!