United4Longevity is proud to partner with Hope Strengthens Foundation, a fellow nonprofit organization whose mission is to deliver critical support to individuals and families facing a life-threatening illness, disability, or recovery from traumatic injuries.
The food you eat determines how you look, function, and feel. We know that diet affects the immune system, which makes it incredibly important to nourish our bodies with a balanced diet filled with diverse and colorful food. When we approach food as medicine by eating high quality, nutritious foods – in the right amounts – we can ensure we get enough nutrients to support our body’s repair, replacement, and defense systems. Nourishing, high-quality food that contains the right amount of macronutrients (protein, fat, and carbs) can keep our bodies performing optimally and can help us combat the debilitating effects of stress and worry.
A life altering health matter can have devastating and progressively negative impacts. Very often the cost of medical services can be just as debilitating as the illness, disability, or injury one is fighting. It is often an entire family, community, or support network that feels the strain of a health emergency. In the blur of medical appointments, patient service conversations, and health insurance questions, the last thing many people think about is eating.
Earlier this year, Hope Strengthens began supporting a young boy named Billy Dunn and his family. Billy was getting ready to head out for football practice when he fell on the stairs at home and suffered a head injury. He was diagnosed with Functional Neurological Disorder (FND) and Persistent Postural-Perceptual Dizziness (PPPD). Hope Strengthens has assisted the family by covering expenses related to occupational, physical, and speech therapy. In addition, they supported out-of-pocket transportation and other expenses associated with the family’s frequent trips to Baltimore, MD for Billy’s participation in a program at Kennedy Krieger Institute.
Complications continued to mount for Billy, including the severe loss of memory, speech, and motor skills. He is wheelchair bound and dependent on his parents for all movement. The road ahead remains daunting, while the financial and emotional stressors for the family compound the overall difficulty of the situation.
To remove a layer of challenge, United4Longevity has worked with Hope Strengthens to donate custom meal plans that have been delivered directly to the family. These meals provide high quality nourishment while combating the negative impacts of stress. Concurrently, the donated meals help to save the family money at a time when resources are stretched thin.
United4Longevity and Hope Strengthens Foundation cannot cover all of the unmet needs for a family like the Dunn’s. Yet by working together, we can deliver vital support that can lift spirits and offer the peace-of-mind needed to focus on recovery.
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