[NFB_of_Georgia] Help us to make the season bright for Courtney

[plewis at nfbga.org]

Hello Fellow Federationist

The holiday season is now in full swing and as we await the laughter and
joyous times that lie ahead of us, I would like to take the time out to wish
you and your family all the goodness the season has to offer. During this
time, we all have things that we hold near and dear to our hearts - and
family has always been on the top of my list. Feeling the warm, long hugs of
distant friends who've stopped by and exchanging stories- and coma inducing
recipes that makes for happy bellies, makes me that much happier that the
New Year is less than 8 days away. Now, as we all know families come in all
different shapes, sizes and styles; and unexpected news- like babies,
marriages, promotions and health recoveries, give us that much more to be
jolly and thankful for when we hear about them.

Today, I wanted to take a few moments and reach out to you about a new
member of our blindness family that greatly needs our assistance during this
time.

A couple of weeks ago a nurse at Grady Hospital contacted Jackie Anderson
about Ms. Kizzy McFavors who, six months ago, gave birth to a beautiful baby
girl she named Courtney. 

Courtney was born premature and has several health concerns. At the time of
her birth the doctors found out that Courtney has an undeveloped lung and
stomach, which means that she must be on an oxygen monitoring system and
required a feeding line to her stomach. We were also made aware that
Courtney is totally blind. 

Ms. McFavors over the last few years has lost a large part of her vision to
diabetes and has been living her life as a very high partial sighted person-
and for anyone that is high partial knows, we consider that level of sight a
blessing. But as we soon learn, this blessing unfortunately comes to an end,
and usually at the worse and most inconvenient time in our lives. 

When working out the plan to release Courtney from the hospital, the doctors
at Grady found out that Ms. McFavors could not see well enough to be able to
read the information on the monitors and that this is a serious time
consuming requirement that her daughter will need once she goes home. And
for this reason, the Hospital wants to turn Courtney over to DEFAX once it
is confirmed that she is able to be released from care as they feel that her
mother will be unable to keep up with the demands of the equipment to
properly monitor Courtney 24 hours a day. Jackie has attempted several times
to explain to the Grady staff that with adaptable and accessible equipment
Ms. McFavors will be able to take care of Courtney by herself.
Unfortunately, the attempts have fallen upon deaf ears and the status of
little Courtney's release to Ms. McFavors is still undetermined. 

 

We as members of the NFB plan to provide Courtney with the things that she
will need in order to come home with her mother. Along with the basic baby
things, Courtney will require an accessible baby monitor that will allow her
mother to read the oxygen and food level information that will display on
the monitors. We have also determined that the accessible mobile apps, such
as 'AIRA' and 'Be My Eyes', will work as options for reading the numbers on
the monitor as well. Currently, we are working on trying to get an iPhone
donation for her to use in order to take advantage of these options. 

While we are snuggled in the warmth of our own family, friends and children,
please keep in your hearts Courtney and her mother Ms. Kizzy McFavors. If
you would like to make a donation to help us assist Courtney, as we would
like to see her return home with her mother and not a governmental program,
we'd truly appreciate it. We are currently accepting monetary donations by
cash, check or gift card and anything you desire to give will be considered
wholeheartedly!

 

You may send any donations to the following address

Patrice Lewis

1735 Peachtree Street NE

Unit 426

Atlanta GA 30309

 

You may also send a donation by pay pal or the NFB donation website page.

Pay Pal: Nata Watkins - Email: nameawatkins78 at gmail.com
<mailto:nameawatkins78 at gmail.com> 

NFB website: www.nfbga.org

 

If you have any questions, please give me a call. And please pass this
request along to others that I am unable to reach by this email.

 

Thank you for remembering the reason for the season

Patrice Lewis

NFBGA PEACH Administrator

Phone: 678-756-3757

Email: plewis at nfbga.org