“As a parent of a son living with Duchenne, the mission of my wife and myself is to do whatever we can to help our son enjoy every moment of life,” says Todd.
The most important thing to Todd and his wife, Wendy, is family. Todd’s oldest son, Brayden (18), was diagnosed with Duchenne muscular dystrophy at 3 years old. They also have a son, Nathan, and a daughter, Caroline. As a family, they love going out to eat, playing video games, and – one of Brayden’s favorites – watching superhero movies.
One thing holding Todd and his family back from doing the things they enjoy are unforeseen medical bills on top of van payments and their mortgage. These financial barriers are a major stressor in addition to Brayden’s physical challenges from Duchenne.
Todd says, “You have that fear of van payments, and if it is going to be taken away. It is our only mode of transportation.” Due to recent hardship, Todd was forced to ask himself, “How is he going to get around?” Without an accessible van, Todd and his family would have no way to get Brayden to crucial doctor appointments – which they travel almost four hours to attend. Thankfully, with the help of the Emergency Fund, some of that fear was lifted.
In 2020, Jett Foundation expanded the Jett Giving Fund in order to assist families, like Todd’s, who experience unexpected financial hardship. After hearing directly from families in our Duchenne community, the Emergency Fund arm of our program was launched, providing timely financial assistance to families for necessities such as groceries, housing assistance, utility expenses, or other unforeseen costs.
After receiving assistance from Jett Foundation, Todd says that a stressor has been removed and he can focus on improving the quality of life for Brayden while they navigate through their Duchenne journey.
For other families impacted by Duchenne, Todd says, “Be active with organizations, and never feel too proud to ask for assistance.”
You can help us to support more families! Donate today or learn more about becoming a sponsor of our direct service programs by emailing maura@jettfoundation.org.
The Emergency Fund is an extension of Jett Foundation’s Jett Giving Fund. Established in 2017, Jett Giving Fund has helped transform the lives of many families across the country with over $1.8 million worth of accessible equipment and emergency assistance thanks to the generous support of individual donors, local communities, and major sponsors including Cure Dale’s Duchenne, Sarepta Therapeutics, FibroGen, the Flatley Foundation, and the Killian Family.
To learn more about the Emergency Fund and to read frequently asked questions related to our Jett Giving Fund program, please read more here.
