Angel Fund Helps Relieve Burden in Traveling for Toddler’s Complex Medical Needs

Clay has an “old, old soul,” a trait a nurse first brought to his parents’ attention in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit.

From his arrival with twin Crue, parents JC and Baylie Isakson knew Clay would have a challenging medical journey ahead. The diagnosis of neonatal Marfan syndrome, a rare genetic connective tissue disorder, came with the prognosis Clay might not live to his second birthday and would certainly have surgeries ahead.

“He’s doing a lot of things we were told he might never do,” JC said.

Mercy Flight has taken Clay to specialists in Denver three times. Complications after a heart surgery forced a longer stay at the hospital in Colorado. If everything goes well, Clay also has to go to three days of specialist appointments in Colorado
twice a year. If he gets sick, he must be hospitalized in Denver with his complex needs.

Angel Fund donors have helped 1,795 families, among them the Isaksons, with the cost of travel for a child’s medical treatment in the last 28 years. The program helps with travel to Great Falls from across the region and to distant specialists. The need has only grown in the last few years; to donate visit Benefis.org/give.

“Angel Fund is vital. When you have a medically complex child, insurance begins to make it possible to do all the things you have to do, but the travel adds up,” JC said. “We will do what we have to do for his care, but Angel Fund helps relieve that burden of rental cars and hotels.”

The Isaksons have twice received help thanks to Angel Fund donors, and Clay has reached his toddler years.

“Thank you. There is a long list of worthy causes and needs in this world,” JC said. “In our case, this is a matter of keeping our son alive. We would do anything to give him his best care, and funds like Angel Fund make it possible for us to, without hesitation, take him where he needs to be for his condition.”

JC and Baylie feel lucky to be Clay’s parents and walk his journey with him.

“He’s tough, and he’s overcome so much,” JC said. “We have all the confidence in the world he will write his own story and have his own journey. We are excited to be part of it with him.”