E-mail to Friends
Brian Keeter
NTAF South-Atlantic Spinal Cord Injury Fund
Charlotte, NC
Brian Keeter
NTAF South-Atlantic Spinal Cord Injury Fund
The phone call parents fear most came Sunday, December 14, 2008. Our son, Brian Keeter, was unconscious and paralyzed following a single car accident in Charlotte, North Carolina.
Upon arriving, we learned that first responders had performed a one and a half hour rescue in below freezing temperatures, struggling to stabilize Brian. He was transported to Carolinas Medical Center near death. Friends and family spent the next several days fearful he might not survive; wondering whether he would ever regain consciousness or move his limbs again.
Brian suffered an extreme spinal column fracture, two collapsed lungs, lacerations and bruising to his internal organs, and several broken bones, many in his back and ribs. Thankfully, Brian survived though he remains paralyzed from the waist down and trying hard to process life in a wheelchair.
After being hospitalized for nearly three months, Brian remains in outpatient care at Carolinas Rehab Hospital. We take turns staying with him in a one-bedroom apartment in Charlotte until he can manage more fully on his own. There are a number of health problems that accompany a spinal cord injury and Brian is facing them all, though he presses forward with efforts to regain function.
Spinal cord injury rehabilitation focuses on enhancing the functions one still has and learning to live with major physical limitations. In contrast, spinal cord recovery is regaining function that has been lost and promoting the overall health of those paralyzed. Insurance programs pay only minimally for rehabilitation and do not pay for the vast majority of recovery activities. Moreover, the overall financial hardship associated with spinal cord injuries is overwhelming. First year expenses alone average $283,388 and life expenses for paraplegics cost over $700,000 (National Spinal Cord Injury Statistical Center, 2009).
A fundraising campaign has been established for Brian through the Catastrophic Injury Program of the National Transplant Assistance Fund (NTAF). This money will be used for recovery therapies, medical equipment to lead to greater independence, and therapies that promote Brian's health. If there is ever to be significant recovery from paralysis, as many neuroscientists now believe, we know Brian has the motivation, strength, and perseverance needed to successfully undergo the rigors, trials and tribulations involved with promising therapies. If you wish to make a tax-deductible contribution to Brian's fund to help cover uninsured medical expenses and assist in his future recovery by check or by credit card:
Checks Made Payable to: NTAF South-Atlantic Catastrophic Injury Fund
Note in Memo Section Must Include: In Honor of Brian Keeter
Please mail to: NTAF
150 N. Radnor Chester Road, Suite F-120
Radnor, PA 19087
Credit Card: Please visit www.catastrophicfund.org and type Keeter in the yellow box on the left or call 800.642.8399.
Those with fundraising ideas and the desire to volunteer with such efforts are encouraged to contact us directly. If you know of others that might be willing to donate and help Brian, please take the time to share this appeal with them.
This tragedy has clearly demonstrated that Brian has touched the lives of so many. Likewise, we know that your continued love and support will empower Brian in his challenging journey towards recovery and a productive life. Your continued prayers, kind deeds, & genuine interest are a source of strength to Brian and our family. Thank you also for your willingness to assist Brian with the financial burdens of the journey. Brian's NTAF webpage & bkrecover.blogspot.com will provide you with links keeping you informed of his progress.
NTAF South-Atlantic Spinal Cord Injury Fund
The phone call parents fear most came Sunday, December 14, 2008. Our son, Brian Keeter, was unconscious and paralyzed following a single car accident in Charlotte, North Carolina.
Upon arriving, we learned that first responders had performed a one and a half hour rescue in below freezing temperatures, struggling to stabilize Brian. He was transported to Carolinas Medical Center near death. Friends and family spent the next several days fearful he might not survive; wondering whether he would ever regain consciousness or move his limbs again.
Brian suffered an extreme spinal column fracture, two collapsed lungs, lacerations and bruising to his internal organs, and several broken bones, many in his back and ribs. Thankfully, Brian survived though he remains paralyzed from the waist down and trying hard to process life in a wheelchair.
After being hospitalized for nearly three months, Brian remains in outpatient care at Carolinas Rehab Hospital. We take turns staying with him in a one-bedroom apartment in Charlotte until he can manage more fully on his own. There are a number of health problems that accompany a spinal cord injury and Brian is facing them all, though he presses forward with efforts to regain function.
Spinal cord injury rehabilitation focuses on enhancing the functions one still has and learning to live with major physical limitations. In contrast, spinal cord recovery is regaining function that has been lost and promoting the overall health of those paralyzed. Insurance programs pay only minimally for rehabilitation and do not pay for the vast majority of recovery activities. Moreover, the overall financial hardship associated with spinal cord injuries is overwhelming. First year expenses alone average $283,388 and life expenses for paraplegics cost over $700,000 (National Spinal Cord Injury Statistical Center, 2009).
A fundraising campaign has been established for Brian through the Catastrophic Injury Program of the National Transplant Assistance Fund (NTAF). This money will be used for recovery therapies, medical equipment to lead to greater independence, and therapies that promote Brian's health. If there is ever to be significant recovery from paralysis, as many neuroscientists now believe, we know Brian has the motivation, strength, and perseverance needed to successfully undergo the rigors, trials and tribulations involved with promising therapies. If you wish to make a tax-deductible contribution to Brian's fund to help cover uninsured medical expenses and assist in his future recovery by check or by credit card:
Checks Made Payable to: NTAF South-Atlantic Catastrophic Injury Fund
Note in Memo Section Must Include: In Honor of Brian Keeter
Please mail to: NTAF
150 N. Radnor Chester Road, Suite F-120
Radnor, PA 19087
Credit Card: Please visit www.catastrophicfund.org and type Keeter in the yellow box on the left or call 800.642.8399.
Those with fundraising ideas and the desire to volunteer with such efforts are encouraged to contact us directly. If you know of others that might be willing to donate and help Brian, please take the time to share this appeal with them.
This tragedy has clearly demonstrated that Brian has touched the lives of so many. Likewise, we know that your continued love and support will empower Brian in his challenging journey towards recovery and a productive life. Your continued prayers, kind deeds, & genuine interest are a source of strength to Brian and our family. Thank you also for your willingness to assist Brian with the financial burdens of the journey. Brian's NTAF webpage & bkrecover.blogspot.com will provide you with links keeping you informed of his progress.
