Support Rylee Hannah

Support Rylee Hannah

In many ways, Rylee is a typical 18-year-old girl. She rolls her eyes, sighs in annoyance, loves fashion, glitter, music, and food. She enjoys people, participating in an adaptive ice skating program, high school, swimming & also playing Miracle League Baseball!

We’ve been attending the summer program for over ten years. Rylee has made significant progress while being involved in the conductive education program and hyperbaric oxygen sessions that they offer. Due to a very rare genetic disorder known as CDKL5, Rylee is unable to verbally communicate, to walk, and has very limited motor skills. She also suffers from epilepsy. She is wheelchair bound and requires full assistance from a caregiver. The intensive therapy that is offered to her, helps significantly improve her strength and ability to help with transfers and everyday routine. This summer program successfully keeps her strong and she also gains a lot cognitively to get us through the summer months without school and the once a week therapy that she receives.

By the time Rylee was 6 months old, it was apparent she was not developing as a typical infant. She could not roll over, hold her bottle, sit up unassisted nor was she making any noises or mirrored gestures. We visited more than five children’s hospitals all over Ohio where she was tested for countless conditions. The result was always the same: Rylee had nothing wrong with her and was just a little developmentally behind.

When Rylee was 5 years old, we were shown a YouTube video about a very rare disease known as CDKL5 (Cyclin-Dependent Kinase-Like 5). CDKL5 is a gene that provides instructions for making a protein and is essential for normal brain development. Symptoms involve hand ringing, infantile spasms or seizure-like activity, delayed gross and fine motor skills, digestive issues, sleep apnea and more. A quick blood test and a two-week waiting period would show that Rylee indeed had CDKL5. We FINALLY had a diagnosis! I remember being relieved that she had a diagnosis, that we could finally have some sort of direction as to a plan for her life. Over the years, we have spent countless hours each year driving to and from doctor visits and therapy sessions.

About 12 years ago, we discovered Sara’s Garden in Wauseon Ohio. Sara’s Garden provides Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy, Conductive Education, and Sensory Integration services. After much research, I was convinced that these services would be crucial for Rylee’s development. Rylee has been a part of the program and treatments at Sara’s Garden several times. Every time she attends, she gains improvement with her strength and her communication abilities.

We look forward to attending this camp every summer. Unfortunately, in the United States insurance will often not reimburse for HBOT treatment or Conductive Education for CDKL5, even though there is an acknowledgment that it may be therapeutic. That is why I could really use your help. HBOT for Rylee is only $100 per treatment, however, she will complete 30 HBOT treatments totaling around $3,500. Additionally, Conductive Education and Sensory Integration during June for Rylee this year is $1250 a week. She will attend five days a week for 4 weeks…

As you can imagine, the cost quickly adds up. Aside from those cost, there will be travel, housing and additional food cost as well which the family will also be responsible for out of pocket.

If you could assist us with the cost (or even just part of the cost) of a single $100 HBOT treatment or part of the intervention services, it would help reduce our overall expenses greatly. 100% of the funds received go into an account in Rylee’s name and will be used for her treatments. Any contribution made would be considered a tax-deductible donation as Sara’s Garden is a 501(c)(3) non-profit facility. Checks can be made out to Sara’s Garden with Rylee’s name on a sheet of paper accompanying the check. Please do NOT write her name directly on the check. You can also donate online via credit card clicking on the DONATE NOW button below.

Thank you so much for considering supporting Rylee and even more for your continuous love and support of Rylee!

Aubrey Daughenbaugh

Sara’s Garden is a 501(c)(3) organization. Your charitable contribution is tax deductible under 501(c)(3) of the IRS code, to the extent allowed by law. A receipt will be sent to you after your pledge has been received to use for tax purposes.

Support Sue MacDonald

Support Sue MacDonald

Dear family and friends,

As you know, I’m a Christian preschool teacher, and I’m really hoping to teach again in the fall.

In the fall of 2023, I had COVID. I had difficulty breathing for 3 months. As time went on, it became manageable, but I was never back to normal. I could work but I tired easily and could not exercise. In March of 2025, I noticed my breathing was becoming much, much worse. I was unable to work, go to church, or even complete simple household tasks such as cooking and cleaning. Even showering made me short of breath and trying to go up and down stairs was terribly hard on me.

Doctors performed many tests, including a chest x-ray, CT of my lungs, echocardiogram, EKG, and several pulmonary function tests. I’ve seen 3 pulmonologists and a cardiologist and have been to the University of Michigan and to the Long COVID Clinic in Fort Wayne, IN. I tried pulmonary rehab, but at my first visit my blood pressure dropped sharply after just 4 minutes of exercise, and I came very close to fainting. I have even tried several alternative treatments but have not had any success.

One of the toughest parts of this journey is that I found out that I am allergic to albuterol and any type of steroid, so I have been unable to even get temporary relief. I go out occasionally but am housebound for the most part. Recently, we’ve learned about significant research that supports the benefits of Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy (HBOT) for Long COVID recovery. My husband suggested I check into HBOT, and my doctor concurred. I’m praying that this is my answer. I want nothing more than to be able to teach again in the fall.

HBOT decreases inflammation that Long COVID caused which has affected neurotransmitters and their ability to communicate. This therapy also helps to heal damage that the condition has caused near the heart. HBOT acts as an antiviral, anti-bacterial, and antifungal agent. It has been shown to reduce pain significantly, alleviate sleep dysfunction, and reduce cognitive impairment. It also increases energy, and increases the body’s white blood cell activity, boosting the immune system and promoting healing.

I learned that there is a non-profit facility right here in Northwest Ohio that I could go to called Sara’s Garden. Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy for my situation is only $150 per treatment at Sara’s Garden (as opposed to $1,500-2,500 per treatment at a hospital). Unfortunately, in the United States insurance companies do not recognize HBOT as being therapeutic for the treatment of Long COVID and will therefore not cover the cost of the treatments.

If you could assist me with the cost (or even just part of the cost) of a single $150 treatment it would help reduce my overall expenses greatly. 100% of the funds received will go into an account in my name and will be used for my treatments. Any contribution made would be considered a tax-deductible donation as Sara’s Garden is a 501(c)(3) non-profit facility. Checks can be made out to Sara’s Garden with my name written on a sheet of paper accompanying the check. Please DO NOT write my name directly on the check itself. You can also donate securely online via credit card by clicking on the DONATE NOW button below.

Thank you so much for considering making donations towards my treatments at Sara’s Garden. I am grateful for your thoughtfulness.

Sincerely,

Susan MacDonald (Sue)

Sara’s Garden is a 501(c)(3) organization. Your charitable contribution is tax deductible under 501(c)(3) of the IRS code, to the extent allowed by law. A receipt will be sent to you after your pledge has been received to use for tax purposes.