An online fundraising campaign has been launched to support a family in Outlook living with brittle bone disease.
Katie Bell and her two youngest children, Maizie and Atlas, have all been diagnosed with Osteogenesis Imperfecta, a rare genetic disorder that weakens connective tissues and prevents proper bone development. The disease makes even minor falls or bumps potentially life-threatening.
A close friend, Karla Duchesne, started the GoFundMe campaign, titled Help the Bell Family: Fighting Brittle Bone Disease Together, over the weekend to assist with medical costs, home accommodations, mobility equipment, and lost income. You can help with the fundraiser HERE
Bell, who has four children, has suffered multiple fractures, including a serious leg break in February that required surgery and left her wheelchair-bound for a period. Duchesne said she recently endured another fall, marking her fourth major fracture in two years.
Her children have faced similar challenges. Duchesne said Atlas fractured his femur at four months old and has had 13 fractures and two surgeries over the past two years, while Maizie has endured four fractures in the same period, requiring multiple casts and wheelchairs.
The family relies on a single income, with Bell’s husband Andrew taking time off work to provide care and support. Duchesne said the fundraiser seeks to ease the family’s financial burden.
“This family is in desperate need of financial relief,” the GoFundMe page states. Duchesne encouraged the public to donate or share the campaign to help spread awareness.
The fundraiser is ongoing, with supporters across the province and beyond asked to contribute to help the Bells manage the challenges of the disease.