Akers Angels...

“My only wish is to have a home that I can move around in…”
~Brooke Akers
Brooke Akers is a 7 year old, who suffers from Type II Spinal Muscular Atrophy and is confined to a 200 pound motorized wheelchair. Unfortunately, her 3 year old sister, Faith who has the same disease, her 9 year old brother, Christian who has Crohn’s disease, and her parents live in a bi-level home that is not wheelchair accessible.
Can you imagine watching all three of your children suffer? Here is an expression of a mother’s pain and feelings of hopelessness:
“I know I’m always requesting prayer and here I am again. I am having a difficult time accepting what is going on with Brooke. Her back and spine, hip, legs, ankles, feet, etc….my baby’s body is becoming deformed and it’s even affecting her breathing. Then there are the braces, stander and wheelchair. She’s not even strong enough to cough. I have to use a machine called a cough assist machine on her twice a day. She has to wear a bi-pap at night. There are 4 other pieces of equipment that have been ordered, a seating device, a stander for home, a Hoyer lift because she is getting to be so big and handicap accessible toilet seats. It’s just all so overwhelming, especially because our house is not big enough for the equipment.
I went into her room tonight and just held her and laid next to her and prayed and cried. I feel like we are losing her. I am really trying to keep the faith, but I need some help. Please, pray that I will continue to believe and keep the faith.
Then there’s my beautiful three year old daughter, Faith. The doctors and therapist are trying to convince me that Faith needs to get a wheelchair. I have been praying all along that Faith will never be in a wheelchair. I am starting to feel defeated. She’s already in a Kid Kart (a handicap stroller) and she wears braces on her legs and uses a walker. I just don’t think I can handle her being in a wheelchair too.
My son Christian’s Remicade infusions are not lasting the 6-8 weeks they are supposed to, so he is in a considerable amount of pain and we don’t know what to do next to keep the Crohn’s in control.
~Ginger Akers

My hope is that the City of Cincinnati can come together to support a local family, and show them that they do not have to fight alone. I challenge our community to come together and help us raise enough money to build a wheelchair accessible home, so Greg and Ginger have one less struggle.

IPlease help us and visit http://www.akersangels.com.

Thanks so much for taking the time to listen to the Akers story.
Beth Chapman
(Brooke Akers First Grade Teacher 2006-2007)