Other Foundations

When I first decided on my own that we would have Haleigh's nevus removed, I was really clueless on what we would go through to have it done. I have written before about all my searches and the different doctors we went through on our way. And I also wept about other foundations that do most of the same things that Surgical Gifts does, but not exactly fit for us.

Last week and then again this week I was given the name of another foundation that helps kids get plastic surgery, tonight I took a better look at it and while its a good foundation they still wouldn't help Haleigh if we even applied. I know your thinking what? Why not Haleigh? And the simple fact is 1. We live in the USA and 2. We have medical insurance. You would think those things would help us but they don't and here is how.

When you go onto these other sites they all say they help kids with FREE plastic surgery from all over the world with all these different deformity. Although I have not seen nevus listed I am sure they do it, as the ones we applied to in the past did them, but because they were so involved they didn't advertise it! Any way there are places to click to apply and to give, to read stories and get more information. NO where on the web site does it say that if you have medical insurance that you will need a deny of treatment letter before they will take you. If you can't get that they will not treat your kid. They don't take into account that maybe you have the coverage but no doctor in your network will touch your kid, and going out of network is not an option either because of the cost. That is where we ran into problems with other foundations and their rules. Why can they not bill the insurance and take what they can get if they do it for free for the ones with out? That to me would be like a better choice that turning kids away, and by the way the wed site claims they turn no child away, and I guess in away they don't, its us as parents that can't get the right paper work to get accepted.

On the other hand if you live out of the united states, they can get you a visa and pay for everything so you. Come here and your child can have surgery. I didn't apply to this new one I just heard about. I did e mail them and ask insurance information and they do required the letter, or you can just see this Dr in his private office where you pay what the insurance will not. That is really no help for people like
us at all! The only other one besides Surgical Gifts that didn't care about that deny letter was The Shriner's Hospital. They were great, they just wanted to 1. Do skin grafts and 2. Wait until she was 5 to start neither of what I wanted.

This foundation I looked at us in New York and they provide all your travel, minus meals and anything you want to do while there that is not surgery related. So even with that we would fund raise. I know the people that have is the name of this was just trying to help, but we are happy where we are.

You maybe thinking if we are happy with Haleigh's surgery then why would I look at another Foundation's web site, well you can never be too informed and you never know when the information you have might help someone else. I may come across someone who has family in new York and want to go there and has no insurance or at least the right paperwork. But we have found our Doctor, we have found a great foundation that is helping us with everything possible, all her medical needs are covered, and the travel well some of it was donated by the foundation and the rest we have had no trouble raising the funds for. Things are getting expensive and as prices rise so will our fund-raising efforts, but I believe with my whole heart and mind that God has put us where its best for Haleigh to be and we are going to stay right where God Has put us.

So if you come across and want to donate to help children like Haleigh then donate to the foundation helping her.

Emergence Surgical Gifts!