Andrew and Amee Stauffer of Neosho both know what the Children’s Miracle Network (CMN) has done for their two children, Yszabehl Stauffer, 6, and Ghabriel Stauffer, 2.

“A home health nurse who was doing blood work on Ghabriel before his surgery told us about CMN,” said Amee.

So, Amee contacted CMN to see if they could help in anyway with their son’s surgery.    
Their first contact with CMN was August or September 2006.

“Ghabriel was diagnosed with Craniosynostosis when he was about 6 months old,” said Andrew. “The top two cranial sutures of his skull fused prematurely and this required major surgery. His surgery was in Kansas City and he was to stay in the hospital for two to three days. He also would require a helmet to protect and shape his skull after the surgery.”

The family made several trips to Kansas City several times per month during a six to eight-month period for checkups and helmet adjustments.

“CMN helped us by providing us with gas money and gave us vouchers to stay at the Ronald McDonald House for free,” said Andrew. “We have also received help from CMN with our daughters medical expenses as well. Yszabehl was born with a cleft lip and had surgery when she a few months old to repair it. The surgeon who performed Ghabriel’s surgery is a cleft and craniofacial specialist. He looked at Yszabehl’s lip and saw that she needed some of the scar tissue removed that was a result of her surgery as a baby. He has performed two revision surgeries on Yszabehl and we have regular checkups in Kansas City for both Yszabehl and Ghabe.  CMN has helped us with our travel expenses each trip.”

Nearly two years later, the children are doing great. The family still receives help from CMN.

They now go to Kansas City every six months or so for checkups.

“Yszabehl is a beautiful princess who just turned 6, but thinks she’s going on 12,” said Andrew. “Ghabe no longer needs a helmet and is an active little 2-year-old, who loves cars and playing outside. It’s amazing how good they both have done despite the difficult medical treatments they have had to undergo.”

To help raise money for CMN, the Choppers4Children bike and music event was held this past weekend and concludes today (see related story in today’s edition).

“The main purpose for C4C even being in existence is to raise money for sick and injured children in our area,” said Kathy Watson, co-organizer of C4C, in a previous article in the Neosho Daily News. “That is the only reason we did this, and the only reason that it exists.”

Since 2005, C4C has held a bike and music rally that attracts thousands of bikers and bike enthusiasts from all over the country. In 2005, the rally raised $41,493, and  $42,454 in 2006 for CMN.

“We bought several pieces of equipment last year for ambulance, rural (districts), pediatric medical equipment,” Watson added. “We also spend the money to help families making trips weekly for chemotherapy to Kansas City or out of town. Or families to the local hospitals, wherever they live.”

And what do the Stauffers think about CMN?

“CMN has been a tremendous help to our family,” said Andrew. “Just emotionally it’s a strain as a parent for your children to have to go through surgeries and recover from them, then do it over and over again.  It’s definitely not something any child or parent should have to face. Add to that the cost of medical care being so outrageous, even when a family has health insurance...deductibles, co-pays, coinsurance. Factor in any lost income from missing work and the travel expenses. The financial strain is difficult and stressful as well. CMN has been so helpful throughout this whole process and they help so many families in our community like ours who have a real need. Anyone who contributes to CMN can be sure that their contributions are helping a child get the medical care he or she needs to so they can just get back to being a kid again.”

Andrew said he would encourage others to contact CMN.

“Even if a child is covered on an insurance policy, CMN will help take care of many of the expenses insurance doesn’t,” Andrew said.

Andrew also commends the countless CMN workers and volunteers that help out with the worthy cause.

“The staff at CMN have been so helpful, loving and kind to our family, especially our children,” said Andrew. “They have given them toys and blankets that people have donated. One lady donates blankets that she makes from extra material she has. Ghabe was given a ‘Cars’ blanket and Yszabehl a princess blanket. There are a lot of different ways for people to contribute to CMN if they have an interest in doing so.”