By Mari Radtke
Since 2007 Shayla Bee Fund has provided support to 270 families experiencing medical crises of a child. The organization was born following the death of Shayla in 2006. The Gilmore Family Rally came together to show support for an 18-year old fighting cancer. The mission is to assist responsible, working class families with a child in a medical crisis. A 15-member board considers all nominations to determine how the fund can be most helpful to a family.
Based in Spencer, Iowa, Shayla Bee serves 10 counties in northwest Iowa.
Weather delayed gifting event to two Shayla Bee families. On Thursday January 25 a Sanborn family and a Storm Lake family were celebrated and provided with comforts and with some financial assistance for their ongoing challenges.
Bags of gifts to help comfort the family members included handmade blankets and afghans prayed over multiple times by Christian Motorcycle groups, toys available through their toys drives and books donated by Barnes and Noble, Des Moines are part of the gifts. Money to help with travel expenses necessary for medical care.
Roberto and Anna of Storm Lake are parents to 19-month old identical twins Roberto and Ricardo. They have a big sister, too! The twins have a genetic condition that is not yet known. The twins are on feeding tubes, requiring 5-times-a-day changing. The family takes multiple trips daily to Omaha in an effort to find the cause for their condition.
The Maxwell Halverson and his mom, Holli, of Sanborn, Iowa are also now a Shayla Bee family. Maxwell has permanent hearing loss, Down Syndrome and a right aeortic arch. At 15 pounds, Maxwell is a year old. Maxwell requires medical care from a cardiologist, for his GI tract and an audiologist. They travel to Sioux Falls for much of the care.