Soon after I was born, my parents found out I have Down Syndrome. The next day, I was admitted to the NICU, since I was having a hard time getting enough oxygen. I ended up spending 5 weeks in the hospital, where I had to fight for my life, due to something called pulmonary hypertension, further complicated by a blood infection.

When I came out of the hospital I was still on oxygen and had high bilirubin levels that required weekly blood draws for about 2 months. I also had low muscle tone and difficulties eating. Over time my health kept improving. I still had a hard time holding up my head at nine weeks old when I came off of oxygen, but I worked hard doing tummy time and slowly got stronger. At nine months I now can hold up my head, roll over, and pivot in circles on the floor, so I am getting stronger. I have come a long way, but as time has passed, I am still not moving forwards on the floor or meeting other physical milestones, and I still have some difficulties with eating. I am between two and three months behind with my physical milestones as of my last assessment by the Early Intervention Specialist that sees me. As time goes by, I find myself continuing to fall farther behind my peers.

It is harder for me to learn the things that come so naturally for my peers, but I am determined that my diagnosis does not have to limit my potential. I do not want to change who I am, but I want to learn to crawl, walk, run and talk, and ride my bicycle just like any other child wants to do.

My parents have been searching for a way to help me to learn these things. They have found a program called The Doman Method. It is a holistic, drug-free, home program. It incorporates six different kinds of treatment for each and every child, ensuring major developmental wins!

The six components of the Doman Method are: nutrition and supplementation, sensory development, enhancing mobility, developing cognitive ability and speech, increasing brain oxygenation, and maximizing social development. They provide all the resources, tools, and support my parents need to address and solve my biggest challenges. A team of coaches will instruct them how to do the integrative treatment programs at home to help me reach my fullest potential. This course will be six months long and the coaches will help my parents the whole time. It costs my parents close to $7,000 to take this first step. This includes us going to Philadelphia for 5 days for an assessment and to have a custom plan created for me. They have over 400 different types of therapy options to tailor to my specific needs.

One of the reasons my Dad and Mom want to take the Doman International course as soon as possible and learn how to do this neuro-developmental therapy with me is because other children like me have been able to catch up with their peers in almost all aspects of development. It’s going to be hard work, but I am willing to do it. I’m impatiently waiting for my parents to learn more about this method of therapy because the earlier I start this therapy the less I have to catch up on. Every day that I wait is another day that I fall farther behind my peers.

Please donate today to help me get into the Doman program, so that I can reach my highest potential. Every donation will go toward my therapy with Doman International, with the first step being a visit to Philadelphia next month. Any money that is raised over the amount that we need for my therapy will go toward my next assessment and therapy plan. If I do not need an additional therapy plan, the extra money will all be donated to Doman International to help other children like me to get this therapy. Will you help me?

Thank you and much love from, Truman, and family (Titus, Ashley, Tyler, Kyra, Evie, Amelia and Asher)