Express E anY BaBY can inside

FA L L 2 0 1 1
VO L U M E 7
NO.3
ANY BABY
CAN
Express
2
3
4
ABC
Extends
Services
Gifts, Adoptions,
Toys & Free Stuff
Calendar
Athena Award
www.anybaby
cansa.org
New Style,
New Venue
Inside
Facing a Lifetime of Health Crises,
Journey & Her Mom Turn to ABC
E
Every morning, six-year-old Journey bounces
out of bed, eager to explore the world and
head for her first grade classroom to learn
and play. But first, she has to swallow 20+
pills … a life-saving daily regimen that restores
potassium and other vital nutrients constantly
depleted through her battle with the rare Bartter
syndrome.
It’s a daily struggle for the six-year-old pixie
with the bright blue eyes, who often balks at
the pill-taking, forcing her mom, Christy,
to coax, argue and even bribe her. This incurable, lifelong kidney disease has three expected
outcomes: a lifelong daily ingestion of pills that
can cost up to $5,000 per month; or a kidney
transplant; or death.
Since Journey was diagnosed with the congenital syndrome five years ago, Christy’s life has
been consumed with caring for her daughter,
named for the journey that brought her into this
world. Christy was 35 years old and spent seven
months of her pregnancy bedridden. When her
four-pound baby girl arrived, she was named in
commemoration of the long journey leading to
her birth.
A fragile infant, she was a magnet for every
germ and constantly fought ear infections
and colds. She was often lethargic and her
growth was stunted. At just over a year
old, her condition became critical; she was
hospitalized and had to be resuscitated twice.
Finally, doctors diagnosed the rare condition
that affects only one in four million children.
Bartter syndrome refers to a group of rare
conditions that affect the kidneys and cause
the kidneys to remove too much potassium
from the body.
Little Journey and her mom are constantly
striving for balance and normalcy. Christy
awakens in the night to massage Journey’s legs
when she is seized by cramps. Stomachaches
are a common malady. She can’t be exposed
to intense heat or bright light. She must eat
foods high in potassium. She is often hospitalized for the vague diagnosis of dehydration,
although her condition is more complicated
than that implies.
That’s not to say Journey’s life is all sickness.
Her mom says her little girl is “animated, energetic and dramatic and loves music, dancing,
art, reading, bike riding and skateboarding.”
(continued on page 3)
Journey is an adorable, spirited
child, full of life and joy.
They get through it all with prayer, Christy
says, and prayers were answered in the form of
Any Baby Can. “I don’t know what we would
do without them and our caseworker, Jana
Garcia. They helped us with her meds when
we relocated from Idaho to New Braunfels. If
it hadn’t been for gifts from Any Baby Can,
Journey wouldn’t have had Christmas … we were
in financial ruin. They’ve helped us out in crisis
after crisis … with gas cards, clothing vouchers,
food cards, rent, utility assistance and referrals
to other resources.” Christy says.
(continued on page 2)
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ABC Extends Services
To Military Families at Wilford Hall
C
Children of our military families now have easy access to Any Baby Can
services and it’s a match made in patriotic heaven. Dawn Dixon, ABC
Executive Director, says, “San Antonio is a hub for exceptional children
in military families, and the Developmental Behavioral Pediatrics Clinic
at Wilford Hall sees many children each year who could benefit from
our services. Lt. Col. Jaime Phalen, M.D., has been a strong advocate
for our presence and we are delighted that we’ve been invited to install a
case manager part time at Wilford Hall.”
Dominique Sanchez-York, ABC Case Manager, is now on site at Wilford
Hall two days each week and has appreciated the warm reception the
medical staff and parents have given to Any Baby Can. She says, “When
military families transition to San Antonio and they have a child with
chronic health issues, they get health care through the military, but they
may not know how to access additional resources. Any Baby Can is
helping these families with crisis assistance— specialized formula,
diapers and referrals to local agencies, as well as other services. Once
word is disseminated, we expect to see an abundance of families we can
help.”Wilford Hall Medical Center (WHMC) at Lackland Air Force Base
and Brooke Army Medical Center (BAMC) at Fort Sam Houston have
combined their efforts to become SAMMC or San Antonio Military
Medical Center. Wilford Hall has one of the largest military developmental pediatrics clinics in the country, along with an ambulatory
pediatric clinic that sees many patients each year.
ABC’s presence at SAMMC augments other Any Baby Can satellites
including Methodist Hospital, CHRISTUS Santa Rosa downtown,
Autism Community Network and Any Baby Can-New Braunfels. !
Athena Award
Honors ABC & Dawn Dixon
We’re proud of Any Baby Can and our Executive Director, Dawn Dixon, for receiving the
Athena Organizational Leadership Award from the 2011 North Chamber of Commerce
Women’s Conference. The Athena Leadership Award was inspired by the goddess of
Greek mythology who was known for her strength, courage, wisdom and enlightenment.
The award honors individuals and organizations for professional excellence, community
service and for actively assisting women in their attainment of professional excellence and
leadership skills. !
Facing a Lifetime…
(continued from cover)
Christy’s certified nursing assistant/medical assistant career came to a
halt during pregnancy and she still cannot return to work. Caregiving and
advocating for Journey are full-time jobs. In the future, she would like to
return to school but she worries that’s a faraway dream.
Christy suffered a serious setback recently when she was diagnosed with
early stage ovarian cancer. Then one evening, Journey laid her little hands
on her mother “and told me she wanted to get rid of my cancer. A week
later, I was in church, crying and praying and Journey said to me, ‘Jesus
said he took all your cancer away.’ When I had my hysterectomy, they
could not find any sign of cancer.”
Sandra Schlortt, Senio
r Manager-Accentur
e,
Dixon with the Athe
na Organizational Le presents Dawn
adership Award.
Any Baby Can case manager Jana Garcia says, “Christy is so truly thankful.
And Journey is the cutest little thing ever. I am thrilled that Any Baby
Can is able to help them. This is why this agency exists.” As testament to
this little family’s positive attitude in the midst of ills, Christy’s cell phone
ringer greets callers with the Bob Marley lyrics, “Don’t worry about a
thing ‘cause every little thing gonna be all right.”
Your gifts to Any Baby Can help children like Journey who suffer from chronic
illness, complex medical needs and other special needs. With your support,
10,000 children and their families find hope, healing, nurturing and protection
each year in the face of often insurmountable odds. !
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FA L L 2 0 1 1
Gifts, Adoptions, TOYS & Free
4 Ways to Help a Child
We get giddy thinking about the holidays … all those lovely
opportunities to reach out and touch someone. At Any
Baby Can, we make it easy to tap into your charitable
holiday spirit and make a major difference in a
child’s life at this time of year when all should be
merry and bright.
W
Any Baby Can offers four delightfully gratifying ways you can help a stranger this holiday
season and beyond. We hope you’ll pick one
or more … your heart will leap with joy and so
will the hearts of those you honor with your
generosity.
Gifts!
A year-end gift in any amount will help a family caring for a child with
a chronic illness or complex medical needs. In these tough economic
times, many of the 10,000 individuals we touch each year are in great
need. Your gift will help provide …
• Support, education and other services to the family of a
child with autism.
• Family support, diapers and formula for a premature baby.
• Abuse prevention services, child development education
and follow-up care to an at-risk teen mom and her baby.
• Counseling, case management and referrals for a critically
ill child and her family.
• Grief support and funeral assistance to a family mourning
the death of a child.
• Prescription medication and crisis assistance to a family
overwhelmed by the cost of caring for a sick child.
Please remember Any Baby Can with an end-of-year gift. Change a life,
offer hope to a family that has nowhere else to turn. You’re invited to
use the attached envelope … and may you and yours be blessed this
holiday season!
Adopt!
Stuff
Many of our clients are strapped by the financial, mental and
physical toll of caring for a sick child and cannot afford a
holiday meal, gifts for their children or festive decorations.
You can “adopt” a family for the holidays and transform
their lives. Individuals, families and groups are invited.
What you can do to help:
• Purchase gifts for the families.
• Provide a holiday meal.
• Help with holiday decorations.
• Deliver the celebration to your adoptive family.
For details, please contact Collene Carey or Julia
Lindow at 210-227-0170 or [email protected]
or [email protected].
Toys!
Toys bring joy … and our holiday parties for ABC children and their
siblings offer a bright spot to hundreds of precious little ones. Thanks
to our generous friends at the Historic Menger Hotel and the Faust
Hotel for hosting parties on December 11 (San Antonio) and December
20 (New Braunfels). If your office, school or organization would like
to hold a toy drive for Any Baby Can, call us at 210-227-0170 and we’ll
provide the boxes. We need hundreds of new toys for infants through
age 16 by December 9. And our staff and volunteers will handle the
wrapping! If you’d prefer to make a cash donation, Santa’s Helpers
will do the shopping for you.
Free Stuff!
For $50 you can buy a Book of Free and get 100 gift certificates worth
$1500 in FREE movie tickets, meals, golf, retail goods and more.
Any Baby Can is among the charities to benefit thanks to Nnovative
Marketing Solutions. Buy one at any Valero or at BookofFree.com.
www.anybabycansa.org!
What would you like to know about Any Baby Can? You’ll find all the news and who’s who on our just-revamped website,
www.anybabycansa.org. Check out our mission, services, latest happenings, upcoming events, supporters,
board members, newsletter archives, employment opportunities and more. We’ll see you online!
ANY BABY CAN
S P R I N G 2Non-Profit
006
Express
Organization
U.S. Postage
PAID
CALENDAR
217 Howard San Antonio, Texas 78212
Please mark your calendars to join
Any Baby Can and friends for these
important events that raise awareness
and support for the children and
families we serve.
January 20, 2012
49th Annual Alamo Kiwanis
Western Heritage Art Show
Full Goods Breezeway – Pearl Studio
April 14, 2012
8th Annual Walk for Autism
AT&T Center
May 12, 2012
10TH Annual Jon’s 5k
Run/Stroll
Brackenridge Park
Permit #3523
San Antonio, TX
New Style, New Venue…
Fabulous!
What happens when you bring together sensationally chic fashions, beautiful runway
models, a gourmet feast, a new venue and several hundred generous Any Baby Can supporters? Magic happens!
The 17th Annual Any Baby Can Style Show and Luncheon on September 27, in the Pearl
Stable, a new venue, attracted an enthusiastic crowd and grossed over $100,000 to benefit
the children and families served by Any Baby Can.
If we could, we’d knock on the door of every single person who sponsored this event,
served on the committee, purchased a ticket, made a donation, contributed in-kind goods,
bought raffle tickets, modeled the clothes from our dear friends at Julian Gold, prepared
and served the delicious luncheon and in so many ways contributed to the success and
made our children feel surrounded in love.
We can’t knock on your doors, but we can express our sincere thanks and tell you that you
are deeply appreciated. Special acknowledgement to our Platine, d’Or
and Bronze sponsors, Julian Gold, Mistress of Ceremony Deborah Knapp, Luncheon
Co-Chairs Ginger Doherty and Rachel Roberts and our caterer, Veronica Esparza/Absolutely Delicious. We were honored to present the 2011 Angel Award to Kymberly
Rapier, Chief Executor of the Blake, Kymberly
and George Rapier Charitable Trust … and we
thank this family for their generous support
of Any Baby Can. !
Enjoying the fun and
fashions are, left to rig
ht, Kenisha Baxter;
Jeanie Allgeier, ABC
Board member; and
Ava Fletcher.
Rick Byrd, ABC Board President,
honors Kym Rapier as the
2011 Angel Award recipient
at the Style Show and Luncheon.