In the first few months of his life our son Arlo faced several unexpected challenges eating and gaining weight. At three months old he was hospitalized for several weeks to uncover why feeding was so difficult for him and during that time he was also diagnosed with three congenital heart defects, gross motor delay, low muscle tone, aspiration while feeding, and eventually a rare genetic disorder. He quickly had surgery to place a feeding tube to help him thrive and on top of already mounting medical costs, his nutrition needs exceeded $2000 per month. As we navigated this world of medical parenting we also suffered financially while trying to support his needs.
We were blessed with a community like no other who rallied behind us to help pay off Arlo's medical debt and supply him with the formula he needed. As the years have gone on, gratitude for that support has never left us and we've been carefully planning to give back to our community in the same way it was given to us.
Additionally, as we've adjusted to the ever-adapting world of medical parenting and connected with other families in the same boat, we've uncovered more financial challenges that expand beyond what we experienced. The reality is chronic and rare conditions have ripple effects across the whole family and we want to make sure that caregivers and siblings are supported, too. Thus, The ARK Foundation was born.
