Mica Hammond Fund

02/29/2024

02/10/2024

Did you know, breast milk, formula or blended foods can be delivered directly into the stomach or intestine through a feeding tube?

Head over to oley.org/FT_Awareness_Week to see how you can get involved in spreading the word and how to join our virtual events being held this week.

09/22/2023

02/10/2023

It's Feeding Tube Awareness Week around the world, a good time to give an update on our program for families who blend their own feeding-tube food:

Natural blended diets for g-tubes and other tube feeding can be amazing for a kid's health – but also expensive, as insurance coverage is usually far inferior to that of formula diets.

While we advocate for better coverage, we offer reimbursement awards to families who need it.

Last year, Mica Hammond Fund was able to help a number of families cover food & equipment costs, and we are looking to do more this year.

Please spread the word to any communities you know who may have families with this need; URL for families to get help is: https://charitysmith.org/mica-hammond-fund-g-tube-diets-form/

12/24/2022

Happy Holidays!
Year-end giving ideas? We've got you:

Mica Hammond Fund Thank you for supporting our vision. Donations $25.00 $50.00 $100.00 $250.00 $500.00 Check this box to repeat this gift every month. You can cancel it at anytime. Leave a personal note: If you would like to make your donation in honor of someone, please enter their name here: Billi...

12/11/2022

Tonight we remember.

11/21/2022

Meet Mica Fund recipients the Dietzens:

Like many tube-fed kids, Clover Dietzen has more energy when she eats a blended diet of everyday food vs. just formula.

Clover's siblings love when her food includes what they're eating, "particularly on holidays & birthdays…Just because a child is eating by mouth doesn't mean they don't have an opportunity to participate in family meals, holidays or cultural events," they say.

Hopefully insurance plans will someday better cover natural tube diets;
Until then, Mica Fund & others are here to help.

11/02/2022

Another amazing Mica Fund recipient – Nancy Pickett

Nancy has Ehlers Danlos Syndrome, a genetic disorder that makes her reliant on IV-based nutrition

"Many people told me that I wouldn't be able to go to college" Nancy said

But she graduated Summa Cum Laude

She's getting a Masters in Public Interest Comms at U Florida; already a creator, she wants to tell stories that drive change on issues like healthcare disparities

"Thanks for believing in me" says Nancy

We certainly do!

10/24/2022

Excited to feature some of the Mica Hammond Fund's latest recipients:

Here's scholarship winner Austin Chapman with sister Cassidy. Cassidy was born with Bainbridge-Ropers syndrome, which affects the ASXL3 gene. Austin is a freshman at Mercyhurst University, studying Fashion Marketing & Spanish. He is also a member of the men's soccer team. He hopes that one day, he can contribute to making the world a better place for Cassidy to live in.

10/10/2022

Share your rare disease story!

08/27/2022

Imagine your only source of nutrition disappearing from store shelves -- & being unable to find an affordable replacement.

Homemade blenderized food can be a healthy solution for many tube-fed kids & adults -- but it is largely uncovered by most insurance.

The Mica Hammond Fund & others help by reimbursing the natural-diet expenses of families.

But health insurance policies need to better cover them.

That would make situations like this more rare:

With help from La Rabida Children’s Hospital, Zayne Negoski of Joliet got an alternative tube-feeding formula. But his family and those of other medically needy kids have struggled and often had to pay more after Aug. 10 recall.