River’s Story
Can you help?
Posted February 5, 2017
River Komp is a 20 month old boy in the Salem, Oregon UCG congregation. He is the son of Andy and Bekah Komp. Todd and Janie McNemee, Bekah’s parents, are also members of the Salem congregation. LifeNets endorses this request. The parents and grandparents have already done a great deal, but still need help.
From Bekah Komp --
The story of our River is quite a blessed one and a miracle. During the first trimester of pregnancy we thought we had lost him twice. Multiple trips to the ER and emergency doctor/nurse phone calls were made yet River stayed strong and with us.
During a week 20 anatomy ultrasound we were told that he would be born with a cleft lip, cleft palate, and heart defect—and that he could very well have a form of Trisomy (Down Syndrome). For weeks we grieved, but hope was restored after the cardiovascular specialist confirmed there were no heart defects detected. This lessened the chances of Down Syndrome; It was a light in a time of struggles.
Despite many ultrasounds, it could not prepare us for how severe his clefts were, along with other deformities. He was born with a severe bilateral cleft lip (incomplete on right, complete on left), a bilateral cleft palate, lip tie, Hypospadias, and a Talipes Calcaneovalgus foot which is now labeled as clubbed. He has already undergone 3 surgeries; lip repair/cleft rhynoplasty, Hypospadias correction, and cleft palate repair.
River at the time of birth and now....
In a year’s time he will have a 4th surgery: a lip and nose revision. However, this is not the end of his surgeries. Surgeries will go well into his adult years, along with many forms of physical and sensory therapy.
At this time we have a need for $8000 which will be used for:
- Speech Therapy (estimated $3,000 for therapy not covered by insurance, 3 years worth)
- Medical expenses associated with visiting specialists for speech, orthopedics, surgery consults, etc. (estimated $1,000 for the next 3 years)
- Cleft Dental Anomalies (estimated $4,000 in dental anomalies services between ages 1-6 years old, before the bone grafting surgery at age 5-6)
Tax-deductible contributions made be made to
LifeNets for River
1227 Woodchase Trl
Batavia, OH 45103or by Paypal and Credit card:
Your full contribution will be passed on to the family and we will report how it is used.
Supported by Salem, Oregon pastor John Cafourek