Success Story

Your donations make a difference in the lives of real people. Elizabeth is a 3 year old living with Rett Syndrome, a rare genetic condition affecting brain development in girls. The condition causes rapid regression in a child's development during the first several years of life, including the loss of coordination, speech, and use of hands. While the condition and its symptoms can stabilize, there is unfortunately no known cure. We met Elizabeth in January 2017, prior to diagnosis. Doctors initially concluded that she was living with a global developmental delay, low muscle tone, and scoliosis, affecting her ability to walk without assistance. Elizabeth was prescribed a gait trainer to promote joint and bone development, increase motion and improve blood circulation. Though insured, insurance did not cover the cost of a gait trainer. Elizabeth was referred to Project MEND and we were able to provide a refurbished Rifton gait trainer. Recently, when Elizabeth was newly diagnosed with Rett Syndrome, she began to experience a new symptom: sporadic arm movements to her mouth resulting in compulsive chewing and sores. The immediate solution was to wrap her arms, prohibiting her from chewing; but her family found that this method also inhibited her arm movements in general, causing difficulties in her ability to interact.Because of your donations, Project MEND was able to provide Elizabeth with hinged elbow braces, allowing her to have controlled movement in her arms while eliminating destructive chewing.