Make a Difference to a Child

La Profe_1

Moderator: Daily Headline News, Travel & Tourism
Oct 15, 2003
2,293
869
113
Thanks to Rob and AE for allowing me to post this.

I live in Puerto Plata and do what I can to help those who have real and documented needs. My latest project is rather different since I normally work with issues that affect larger groups of people. However, this is for a very little girl. Here is her photo:

nvearr.png


Isaida Naomi is eleven years old, but as you can see from the photo, she is very tiny - the size of a five or six year old. Her pituitary gland is not functioning correctly and as a result she suffers from a lack of human growth hormone. A pediatric endocrinologist at the Clinica Infantil Dr. Robert Reid Cabral in Santo Domingo has prescribed three years of treatment with Saizen (Serono) .6 mg a day. Unfortunately, this is a very expensive medicine and her family cannot pay the $9,900 pesos a month it costs. The prescription is for three years of medication.

I realize that the total cost is beyond the ability of most people to pay. However, she received, from CONANI, six months of medicine. In that time, she grew six inches! Each month will make a difference.

I am asking the DR1 community to help. Whatever can be obtained will make a measurable difference for this child. She still needs thirty months of medication in order to grow and develop normally. If we could provide several more months of medication, it would be a huge help.

Because of my work, I am in a position to be able to give tax-deductible receipts (US and DR) for donations to this cause. I will provide receipts and will also provide copies of proof of purchase of the medication and, if desired, data on her growth and development. I have available right now digital copies of the prescription, the price quotation and of letter sent to the manufacturer in Santo Domingo in 2010 (which was ignored).

Can we pull together to make a difference in this little girl's life?
 

La Profe_1

Moderator: Daily Headline News, Travel & Tourism
Oct 15, 2003
2,293
869
113
While I am in the DR, a contribution could be mailed to my US (Business Mail) address, or I have PayPal.

As it happens, I need to be in the US the next two weeks, so if you PM me, I can send you my personal address in the US where a check can be sent.

I can mail tax-deductible receipts when I return to the DR the middle of May.
 

La Profe_1

Moderator: Daily Headline News, Travel & Tourism
Oct 15, 2003
2,293
869
113
I answered above, AE - except that I forgot to mention that those on the North Coast are welcome in my office when I am in the DR. My office is in Puerto Plata, near the cathedral and the former Central Park.

Those from other parts of the DR - I need to work out something - or perhaps Caribe Tours.
 
Feb 7, 2007
8,005
625
113
If we could get maybe 30 people contribute each 300 pesos every month, it's not much, less than 8 dollars a month, if we can get the group together I am willing to participate in monthly contributions. If the group will not formalize though I will consider a one time contribution.
 

bonao99

Member
Jun 11, 2005
214
14
18
The prescription is for three years of medication.

I can contribute about 10 dollars a month thru Paypal

Bonao99
 

La Profe_1

Moderator: Daily Headline News, Travel & Tourism
Oct 15, 2003
2,293
869
113
Thanks to those who have offered donations already in this thread, and thanks to the person who sent me a PM. I am traveling tomorrow, but will be in touch with those who have offered help on Sunday.

Bonao, the prescription is for three years, but CONANI already donated six months. I am hoping we can help cover the two and a half years of medication still needed.

We need 25 people to donate ten dollars a month, or thirty people to donate $330RD (cost is $9900RD or $8.50 US). Three people are on board. Anyone else?
 

La Profe_1

Moderator: Daily Headline News, Travel & Tourism
Oct 15, 2003
2,293
869
113
Donation Information

I received a PM asking for instructions for making donations, so this will be a good summary, I hope.

For those with PayPal

I will PM my PayPal address to anyone who requests it. I can do donation letters (proof for the IRS) and email, in digital form, them to donors who use Pay Pal.

For those who want to mail a check to me in the US immediately

I will be able to receive checks at my personal US address until May 10. I will PM you that address. Checks will have addresses on them and donation letters for tax deducting will be mailed to that address. Please PM me for for that address.

For those who want to mail a check after May 10

I will PM you my Business Mail address.

Please either indicate in the thread or PM me as to what you choose to do.

Eventually, I will make an Excel worksheet available in my public Dropbox (and post the link to it) so all can see how much as been raised and how it has been used.
 

SKing

Silver
Nov 22, 2007
3,750
183
63
Please PM me both your personal address and business address. My budget is feeling the crunch since my daughter is going to private college this year but I can definitely contribute $10 monthly. I will need monthly PM reminders though as with all of the stuff I am doing, I will most likely forget!

She's a gorgeous little girl.

SHALENA
 

La Profe_1

Moderator: Daily Headline News, Travel & Tourism
Oct 15, 2003
2,293
869
113
I am so happy and so will Isaida and her mother be. By the way, I forgot to include in the first post that she is very bright, at the top of her class and a leader too.

I have received 4 PMs promising donations. One is a promise of the money to pay for a whole month of the medicine. One is a promise of a single donation. The other two did not specify.

Also, Rubio, Bonao99, CBMitch9, Sabra and Shalena have promised money monthly. Bermuda Rum said he'd stop by the office, but did not specify a monthly or single donation. That is ten people who have promised to help - and I didn't post the request until almost noon today.

As my daughter would say (I'm an old fuddy-duddy), "DR1 rocks!
 
Aug 21, 2007
3,043
1,970
113
So happy this is going well La Prof. Please include in your projections my previously promised contribution of funds for one month of meds and a second donation made by a group of friends for another month.

As one of my friends commented when asked to join the cause, "Let's Grow for It!"

Lindsey
 

mountainannie

Platinum
Dec 11, 2003
16,350
1,358
113
elizabetheames.blogspot.com
I am so happy and so will Isaida and her mother be. By the way, I forgot to include in the first post that she is very bright, at the top of her class and a leader too.

I have received 4 PMs promising donations. One is a promise of the money to pay for a whole month of the medicine. One is a promise of a single donation. The other two did not specify.

Also, Rubio, Bonao99, CBMitch9, Sabra and Shalena have promised money monthly. Bermuda Rum said he'd stop by the office, but did not specify a monthly or single donation. That is ten people who have promised to help - and I didn't post the request until almost noon today.

As my daughter would say (I'm an old fuddy-duddy), "DR1 rocks!

I am sorry that I can't help at this time as I am tapped out with my Haitians.. BUT

I did want to SO underline how DR1 ROCKS

the avocado lady with the schizophrenic son that I helped collect for STILL gives me free avocados (and all you contributors are welcome to come for guacamole at any time!)

she is still getting help from the Department of Salud Mental...

If it were not for the $11,000 pesos that the DR1 community sent, to help buy back her Solidarity card and her stove for her.. well...

I can't imagine where her life would be.

Now -- well... the kid is still difficult.. he knocked out her front teeth.. but I sent her back up to the Mental health people who really ARE trying -- they give her $2000 pesos just about every time she goes up there.. and encourage her.

I have to so admire her! She buys her avocados in San Cristobal every morning very cheaply and takes the bus into Gazcue and sells them -- just ripe for today and tomorrow.. at twice the cost of the supermercado .. right across the street from there.. but she makes it! and she does it every day.. day after day...

I have SUCH admiration for so many of the people here who keep themselves in such grace and humor despite such enormous challenges.

Thank you so much for helping!

Goddess bless you! La Profe!
 

cbmitch9

Bronze
Nov 3, 2010
845
8
18
La Profe_1,
Please let me know when you would like to start receiving the funds. There may be months when I maybe able to do more than $10 per month.