The Schmidt Family

Act as if what you do makes a difference. It does. - William James

At the end of the day it really doesn't matter how much money we have, what my status is in life or how many material possessions we own. What matters is what I do to help others in little and in big ways. Giving and caring and showing compassion to others and their life story is key.

Last Friday a spaghetti benefit was held in honor of Lindsey & Hannah (the two beautiful girls in the photo) and their family. Their little brother, Andrew, has a rare genetic disease that has left him disabled and needing constant care. The benefit was held to help the family raise funds for an addition that is needed in their home to accommodate the little brother they so dearly love.

Andrew is a sweet five and a half year old little boy who can melt your heart within minutes of knowing him. Andrew has Pallister-Killian Syndrome (PKS) along with Beckwith-Wiedemann Syndrome (BWS). While both genetic conditions are rare, PKS is extremely rare. There are approximately 200 documented cases in the world. BWS occurs 1 out of 15,000 live births. Andrew is not walking, crawling or talking. He is legally deaf/blind and is very developmentally delayed. Andrew is at high risk of liver and kidney cancer and is screened every 3 months. Currently, there are no documented children that have a combination of these two syndromes in the world. He is truly unique!

It was an honor to read a poem Hannah wrote in class about the love she has for Andrew and be a part of something so inspirational. It was a wonderful night full of everything good.

To read Andrew's story go here to the family blog.

Click here if you feel so moved to help!