[Editor’s Note: “I have received request from our Veterans of Moreno Valley,” says Basil Kimbrew, editor of the California Friends of the African American Caucus (cafriendsofaacc@gmail.com). Help me and my brother Veterans, to send one million Christmas cards to Addie Fausett. This may be Addie’s last Christmas.”]
[img]2922|right|Addie||no_popup[/img]Sending out holiday cards this week? You'll want to add another name to your list.
Addie Fausett, 6, of Fountain Green, Utah, is likely celebrating her last Christmas due to an atrophy of her brain that has left doctors puzzled.
In the face of devastating news, her family has come up with a beautiful idea: They are asking people to send Addie a “lifetime of Christmas cards.”
ADDIE Facebook Page
So far, hundreds of cards have poured into her nearby post office. “We really just started spreading the word,” says Amber Brosig, managing trustee at Children and the Earth, Inc., a nonprofit organization that is assisting with the project. “I think it's just going to grow and grow.”
[img]2921|left|Addie||no_popup[/img]While fulfilling wishes like this one is for the child, it also goes a long way for the parents, siblings and other relatives. “We are creating lasting memories for the family, with the family,” Ms. Brosig explains.
Addie was three years old when her mother, Tami, noticed that she could no longer hold a crayon or spoon, suddenly had difficulty speaking and her growth came to a standstill.
Doctors found that her brain was shrinking, filling with fluid, a condition called diffuse atrophy.
The underlying cause of Addie's atrophy remains undiagnosed, a medical mystery. Even now at six years old, Addie has never weighed more than 25 pounds.
Last month, doctors delivered heartbreaking news: Addie had roughly a year to live. Her mental state would deteriorate before her physicality. She will forget what and who she knows.
“She is just darling and fragile,” Ms. Brosig says. “She has the sweetest little soul.”
[img]2920|right|Addie||no_popup[/img]Making this time even more difficult for Addie and her sisters, Shayley, 10, and Audree, 7, is the unexpected loss of their father. He died over the weekend. He and their mother were separated.
Cards should be addressed to Addie as well as her older sisters. “They are going through a hard time, too,” Ms. Brosig says. “We are encouraging the public to reach out to them as well.”
If you'd like to contribute a greeting, send it to:
Addie Lynn and Sisters
P.O. Box 162
Fountain Green, UT 84632
What kinds of cards does Addie like? All kinds-but especially homemade. “Obviously, you can go to Hallmark and get the ones that play music or this or that,” Ms. Brosig says. “But the handmade ones, or artwork, if you have a child, is even more special for the family, though, of course, they are just grateful for it all.”
