The picture to the left is Kelsi Leah. She was the twin sister of Carly. Despite being born with a congenital issue where her vasculature (blood vessels) never formed properly, she fought hard every day. She endured multiple surgeries in both Jacksonville and Cincinnati. She would often make lots of progress, only to then take a turn for the worse. Despite her condition and problems, she was absolutely magnetic. Her smile was infectious, she had large brown mesmerizing eyes, and she took a liking to anyone who gave her attention.

After 10 months, Kelsi passed away in the comfort of Hospice, mom, and dad. Our most immediate thoughts were about somehow giving back to allow Kelsi's name to live on. What made the most sense to us was to provide for other families going through similar events. We knew exactly what was needed....here is what we did:

Families need a break during times of crisis. A simple break gives families with terminally ill or sick children a better opportunity to fight with and for their child. This type of care is called Respite Care. So, we founded the Kelsi Leah Young Fund with the help of Community Hospice. An annual fundraising event, The Kelsi Young Gift of Care, was created to provide direct support to families for respite care.

From our experiences, when we had respite care, we were able to re-energize, nap, plan, think, care for our other children, or take care of household responsibilities. It was never for very long...sometimes 1-2 hours. Even the smallest break can felt like a weight was lifted temporarily...knowing that we could step out while a capable and compassionate person came in to help.

Respite care is an essential part of the overall support to families with terminally ill or sick children. Unbelievably, respite care is not covered by medical insurance and is not free. That is where YOU come in. Help us with this cause- donate and tell others. With everyone helping out a just a little bit, families will benefit for years to come. Thanks for reading and thanks for your generous support.