Hello, My name Is Vikky Brittain. When I had my son, I took a job as a Pre-K teacher at a Mother's Day Out program that required a certified teacher. This is where I met the Gilchrest family. Their son Austin suffered from terrible separation anxiety. His parents knew that to help him, they had to teach Austin that when they left, they would always come back. It wasn't easy. Austin was physically sick several times a day when he first started. He didn't want to come into the room. He was so terrified. But every day BOTH parents brought him to class, and every day, his mom and dad would take time off work to BOTH be there, waiting on him. Slowly he started to fight his terror and started playing with the other kids. By the end of Pre-K, he would give Mom and Dad a quick hug and run into the classroom to play with his friends! Today I am amazed when I see him at birthday parties, or the bowling alley, usually with his dad having fun just like any other kid. Since then, my son and Austin have become best friends. Lisa and Nick have been there for me through two miscarriages, and a painful divorce, and have held me up when I was afraid I couldn't keep going. I wish this was the end of my story, but it's not. Recently. Nick, Austin's Dad has been diagnosed with a Neuroendocrine Tumor, which is a rare cancer. We know it's cancer, but we are still learning how far it's spread and what options Nick has. This week when I saw Austin, he had already lost some of that hard-earned confidence that his parents had worked so hard, as a team, to help him develop. We live in a small town, and the family is forced to travel a total of a little over 200 miles for each medical visit, and that's just the start of their challenges. Nick cannot drive himself or work, so Lisa is the sole provider for the family. She is trying to juggle her job, her son, her husband's medical needs as well as her pain and anxiety over the future, all without letting Austin regress. This beautiful, loving family has been there for so many people and has overcome so many obstacles, that I beg for you to help them get through this one. Lisa has the world on her shoulders, we could help her carry some of that burden. Nick fears for his life, his son and his wife, but we can take some of his stress so he can focus on treatment. And lastly, we can help Austin, who has worked so hard, shed so many tears and worked through the terror that caused him to be repeatedly, physically sick from being separated from his parents continue to know that mom AND dad will be there. Please help me help this family with the cost of driving, testing and lab fees, doctor visits, and treatments.
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