We Need Your Help

On December 9, Andrea entered the out-patient phase of her journey back. Completely restoring Andrea’s mind and body are fully achievable goals through years of long-term physical, speech and cognitive therapies. Any help you can provide will offer Andrea one more step toward her complete recovery. This investment in Andrea is similar to investing in a student’s education. You are making a real difference.

Her family has acquired a wheelchair-accessible van and has rented an accessible apartment to serve as Andrea’s home base for at least the next year and perhaps beyond. Her mom, dad and stepmom (Lorrie, Bill and Nancy) will split time at the apartment with Andrea, shuttling her to and from Craig Hospital where she will re-learn how to use her hands and arms, how to care for herself, how to speak and, we are told, how to stand and walk. During this phase, Andrea needs constant supervision and support. Her parents are continuing their days jobs around this out-patient schedule.

Despite her incredible gains to date, Andrea’s health insurance provider only will cover 20 sessions each for speech, physical and occupational therapies during 2012 – enough to get Andrea to mid-February. After that, Medicaid will pay for only 30 additional days of therapies. Then, Andrea loses her safety net.

This leaves a painfully wide gap between Andrea’s current deficits and her ultimate, full recovery. Your donation will help close that divide, will help rebuild a person and restore her life. Each out-patient therapy session (speech, physical – for lower extremities, and occupational – for upper extremities) costs $233 per hour at Craig Hospital. Her doctor at Craig projects Andrea will need to return to the rehab facility three days per week to attend each type of those three therapy sessions – until she has recovered. After insurance and Medicaid are cut off in early 2012, Andrea’s family will be left with a therapy bill of $699 per day or $2,097 per week – on top of the expenses they have incurred to pay for Andrea’s ongoing care, housing and mobility.