BOONE, N.C. — The Rumple Memorial Presbyterian Church in Blowing Rock has awarded Appalachian State University’s Kaaren Hayes $3,000 in grant funding to support the Sydney Powell Fund for Infants and Children who are Medically Fragile.

Hayes is the director and outreach coordinator for Appalachian’s Parent to Parent Family Support Network-High Country (FSN-HC), which manages the Sydney Powell Fund.

According to Hayes, the fund, which offers financial assistance to regional families in need who have a child with a serious medical condition, was named in honor of Sydney Powell — a young girl who was born with pyruvate carboxylase deficiency (PCD), a rare and normally fatal genetic disorder. Sydney was the 33rd child diagnosed with PCD in the world and was not expected to live past her first birthday. She lived until the age of 10 and died suddenly on April 23, 2005.

“When a child has a serious medical condition, the family must deal with the emotional, physical and financial challenges of caring for their child,” Hayes said. “Some families encounter financial strain as they travel to gain access to specialized medical services. In addition, sometimes families need help with covering the expense of life-saving medication or equipment.”

Monies from the fund can only be used for expenses not covered by other programs, Hayes said. In order to qualify for assistance, the family completes an application, along with verification of need from a referral source. The application is then submitted to a committee for approval or denial, and the application review committee determines the distribution of funds on a case-by-case basis.

This fund provides a concrete way to assist families in their time of need. “It provides modest cash assistance and the reassurance that there is hope and that people do care,” Hayes added.

About Parent to Parent Family Support Network-High Country

Parent to Parent Family Support Network-High Country (FSN-HC) provides free support, caring connections, information and hope to families who have a premature baby, a child with a disability, an emotional or behavioral challenge, a mental illness or a chronic health condition, and to families who are grieving the death of a child. The program serves seven counties in Western North Carolina: Alleghany, Ashe, Avery, Mitchell, Watauga, Wilkes and Yancey. Parent to Parent FSN-HC provides information and tools to help families see the possibilities for their children and turn that potential into reality. Learn more at https://parent2parent.appstate.edu.

About Appalachian State University

As a premier public institution, Appalachian State University prepares students to lead purposeful lives. App State is one of 17 campuses in the University of North Carolina System, with a national reputation for innovative teaching and opening access to a high-quality, cost-effective education. The university enrolls more than 21,000 students, has a low student-to-faculty ratio and offers more than 150 undergraduate and 80 graduate majors at its Boone and Hickory campuses and through App State Online. Learn more at https://www.appstate.edu.

What do you think?

Share your feedback on this story.