Jonathan with Mommy and
Daddy before the accident

On a bright, beautiful afternoon, he fell into a backyard pool and almost drowned. We performed CPR and rushed him to the hospital, but it was too late. The damage to his brain was already done.

Now, 10 years later, Jonathan is a 14-year-old boy, confined to a bed and wheelchair. He needs around-the-clock care. He cannot walk, talk or swallow. He is fed by a tube. He is blind and he has minimal movement in his legs, arms and hands. He cannot communicate in any consistent way, but his doctors, therapists, teachers and parents do believe that he is aware of his surroundings and recognizes voices.

Jonathan in daily therapy

HE can be the result of a birth trauma, near-drowning accident, heart attack, stroke, head injury caused by a car accident or fall, respiratory disease, seizures, tumors, and many other accidents and diseases.

Right now, Jonathan and other children like him are only able to get treatments outside of the United States. These treatments costs an average of $20,000 and the trips are very complicated for these severely handicapped kids.

I've already seen improvement in Jonathan after the first treatment. He is starting to swallow. He is smiling more, and has started to hit switches more consistently to communicate. It gives us so much hope to continue.

Therefore, my family and I started the Jonathan Brain Recovery Organization (JBRO). Its mission is to TO ACTIVELY EDUCATE, PURSUE RESEARCH, AND SUPPORT TREATMENT for children with brain dysfunction due to lack of oxygen.

You can help give more parents hope. Your gift of $25, $50, $100 or more will go toward research and educations, and it will help provide treatments that give hope again to these severely handicapped children and their parents.

Thank you for all you can do.

If it were your child or grandchild, what would you do?

Sincerest wishes,
Edith A.Tonelli, PhD.
President

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