In the Fall of 2022, Serenity was getting ready to play in her first soccer game of the season when we noticed she wasn’t acting herself. She was usually our fierce leader during practice and was a goal-scoring machine! She complained of neck pain and we all assumed she had slept on it wrong. As the game progressed, her symptoms worsened and she ended up sitting out the rest of the game. By that evening, Serenity had lost all feeling in her left arm, and her mom knew something was not right. They took her to the hospital and by the next morning she was flown to Children’s Medical Center Dallas. A few days later, she was paralyzed from the neck down and diagnosed with a very rare disease called AFM (Acute Flaccid Myelitis). AFM is a neurological disorder that affects the nervous system, specifically the area of the spinal cord called gray matter, which causes muscles and reflexes in the body to become weak. According to the CDC, there were 47 confirmed cases in 2022. Serenity spent over 90 days in the hospital enduring several surgeries and therapies to help with this awful disease. She is currently back at home in Midland with a permanent trach and needs 24/7 care.
This past Christmas, Serenity’s mom was putting her in her car seat for a doctor’s appointment and her leg twisted, resulting in a fracture. Serenity now suffers from Osteopenia causing her bones to be very frail. Her mother Deanna posted about it on Facebook expressing her frustration and sadness about how a handicap accessible vehicle would significantly change their lives. With the funds raised, we will purchase a wheelchair accessible van. Excess funds raised will be given directly to the family for medical bills, groceries, gas, insurance, or other immediate needs. Midland is a very generous community and we know this town will come together to to help our fellow neighbor and soccer teammate. Serenity and her family have been through so much over the last few years and we know this could help alleviate some of their everyday stress.
