Dear Linda and the AM Buffalo staff,
I am writing to you today on behalf of our grandchildren, Dominic and Zachary Proudman. Our son Justin and his wife Marie were blessed with Baby A and Baby B as they were called at the time of delivery at the hospital on March 21, 2002. Shortly after their birth their pediatrician became concerned because they were not reaching developmental milestones. At approximately 6 months of age the boys were diagnosed with Cerebral Palsy (CP) and Periventricular Leukomalacia (PVL). Since the time of this devastating diagnosis and given the unknown prognosis for our beautiful babies, Dom and Zac continued on a downward spiral. But through that time Dom and Zac overcame many obstacles and challenges. Physically they overcame being wheel chair bound and walked independently at age 5. The twins attend Public School 84 in Buffalo, New York which is designed for children with medical/developmental needs. All though Dom and Zac have continued to overcome many challenges in their life, nutritional independence has continued to hold them back from continuing with their overall independence outside of their parents and school support settings.
Dom and Zac are dependent on nutritional support via a G-tube. This is where we and they are faced with their biggest challenge yet! Dom and Zac were admitted to the hospital on December 17, 2012 in Baltimore MD, at the Kennedy Krieger Institute located at Johns Hopkins Hospital The twins were accepted into the Nutritional Therapy Program at the Kennedy Krieger Institute after a 3 year long battle with the insurance company. The additional support that the boys currently need will not be covered, including but not limited to the additional travel, lodging and normal daily expenses that are mounting. Their father, Justin, is a Campus Safety Officer at a local College as well a volunteer firefighter in North Boston, New York. Their mom, Marie, is a Special Education Teacher in Western New York. Marie has taken an unpaid leave of absence to be with Dom and Zac at the Kennedy Krieger Institute. The boys youngest sibling, Jason, who is two years old, is home being cared for by family in Marie’s absence.
For the above reasons, we are reaching out to your show. We are organizing and hosting a benefit for Dom and Zac and their family. The twins really love music. So on behalf of the all of those affected with disabilities that are not always able to advocate for themselves please consider supporting the cause to publicize that not all programs available for disabled individuals cover what these individual’s needs. All too often the disabled are left behind and unable to participate in as much of a normal life as possible. There are programs that are available that because of the twins nutritional needs and the medical care that goes along with that hold them back from being able to participate. As well as other programs for the disabled that the boys are to functionally independent because they are able to ambulate independently that they are again held back from being eligible to participate in.
It is for the reasons above that we ask for your support. The success of this benefit depends on support from caring individuals such as you Linda. If we could ask for you to use your influence and your show to shed light on the reason Dom, Zac and their family are in need of financial support. The twin’s parents strive every day to support them to continue along that path to help Dom and Zac to become as independent as possible. With all of that said, would you consider announcing on your televisions program the listed date and information below in effort to support this family to give their children every opportunity to achieve independence. Linda we are asking if you would also, whenever the chance arrives to shed light on the difficulties that families and individuals face on a daily basis because of disabilities. Most people don’t even begin to understand what challenges and obstacles that families/individuals struggle with every minute of the day. Dom and Zach fall into a hole because they are handicapped but for some programs are to functionally independent to be accepted into. For these reason we are asking for local national coverage if nothing else to bring awareness to lawmakers, media and organizations to possible become aware of the overall situation but also to possible make this event that is being put together by friends and family. Their lives are tough enough every day with two special needs children, let alone forgoing everything that they have in effort to give their boys a chance at nutritional independence. We hope you will consider helping our cause.
So please Linda, if you are not able to do an interview with the family, would you announce what the benefit is about, who it supports with the following information: donations can be sent to any M&T Bank for Proudman Benefit, EIN # 46-1553987. It would be wonderful if you could attend, but that is somewhat of a dream come true. Please contact Jack or Barbara Proudman with any questions or additional information that you may need. Jacks cell is 716-863-5465 and Barbara 716-864-8504. We are not sure who really reads all of your mail/ e mails, so please consider helping make this families life just a little less frustrating by helping to have a successful benefit and educate the community.
Dom, Zac, their family and friends want to say thank you from the bottom of our hearts and wish you a wonderful New Year.
Sincerely,
Barbara and Jack Proudman
8295 Jennings Road
Eden, NY 14057
Home # 716-992-3155
Proudman Benefit
Sunday, March 10, 2013
Newell-Faulknew Post 880
American Legion
2912Legion Drive
Eden, NY
1:00 p.m.
Snacks, Beer, Soda
Sound System, SEITZ & Sound
Ticket Donation $20.00 Pre Sale
$25.00 day of event
