MARLTON, N.J.--"As the year comes to a close and some individuals and foundations look to move funds into charities, I am asking that this year you please consider the Kevin Babington Foundation," said Dianna Babington. "It’s a 501 c3. It was organized by our very good and generous friends that are also riders and trainers.
"There has been a lot of fundraising. It’s come mostly from the heart of our amazing horse community and every dime of that money has been and will continue to be allocated carefully. However, the result of Kevin’s accident has been categorized as a five million dollar problem and I’m starting to understand what lies ahead.
"We are going to need major funds raised to modify our house in Florida. Unfortunately, as it is now most of it is completely impassable by a wheelchair. I am in the middle of an emergency bathroom renovation because our time at Kessler is coming to a close.
"WITHOUT THE use of his arms Kevin is going to need a care giver through most of the day. Overnight is actually more critical. Many don’t know this but he needs to be physically moved every two hours during the night every night. A bed sore can literally be life threatening. He needs to be weight shifted all day to deal with blood pressure issues. He can not be alone, period.
"We have all taken shifts since the accident and he has never been alone yet. The girls and I are prepared to help but we can’t do it all. I need to go back to work at some point. Our insurance covers 30 visits from a nurse a year. Isn’t that terrible and he had a “good policy”.
"So I am reaching out on his behalf. The upfront costs are huge. He will need some physical therapy equipment. I have seen what the electric stimulation bike has done for his body mass. They are approximately $22,000. We need to get one.
"He will need to continue out patient physical therapy which is also not covered by insurance for long. Once major changes are made then the needs will transition to long term healthcare and nursing.
"I have been asked what about people who don’t have these things. How do they manage? The cruel truth is that the lack of support can affect life expectancy. Lack of mobility is a blood clots best friend. Someone not noticing a a few key issues can lead to a spike in blood pressure and a stroke. It’s not just the paralysis it’s the lovely issues it creates.
"That is the reality. It’s my problem and nobody else’s I understand that, but if you are looking to put money into a 501 c 3 please consider donation to the foundation.
"For info on how to make a tax deductible donation, please email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.," said Dianna.