In 2012, CMomA launched our Adoption Grant Gifting Program. We put the word out to partnering agencies and organizations to let them know, “WE HAVE MONEY TO GIVE” to worthy and wonderful childless women, men and couples adopting special needs and/or older orphaned children. So far, we have chosen seven special new families who have met our eligibility requirements. In previous blog articles, we’ve shared the stories of Antonia and Aleja, Torelingo, Tirhas and Kiflom, and Caleb. Now, we share the story of CMomA’s sixth Grant Recipients, Elise and Nick Richard from Baltimore Maryland, celebrating their daughter Sansa’s 3rd birthday today!
Our Gifting Program has eligibility requirements that take into consideration the story of both the childless want-to-be parents and the orphaned children waiting to go home with them. We are moved to share part of the Richard family story, including what we heard from them directly and the images they have sent to us.
March 31, 2014
We received an application from Elise and Nick Richard, a unique situation that literally took our breath away. Elise, a Document Control Specialist for the NFL Player Benefits office, and Nicholas, a library technician for the University of Baltimore’s Langsdale Library, made the choice, as a young couple in their 20s and married for 5 years, to adopt rather than to have children of their own. At the time we received their application, they were waiting for the green light to go to Hungary and bring their two-year-old adopted daughter home with them.
Their thoughts on adoption… what motivates a young couple to adopt first?
Their match with Arabella:
Arabella is currently in her second round of chemotherapy treatment, and as far as we know she has been responding well to the treatments. When we received videos of Arabella, we immediately became attached to this beautiful baby girl and fell in love before we even met her. We instantly knew that she is our child. Hungary was not our first choice; it’s almost as if Hungary found us. We’re nearly finished in making our dream a reality.
What motivated them to adopt a special needs child:
On Their CMomA Grant Request:
May 20, 2014
The CMomA Board approved a grant to assist with the upcoming medical bills that will ensure her continued treatment once she is in the US. They sent us this sweet Thank You video:
July 15, 2014
July 26, 2014
September 6, 2014
We are home! Sansa Arabella is doing very well with adjustments and is her usual happy self. We will be bringing her to her first pediatric appointment. As soon as I get a policy number for her, we will be setting up a doctor appointment with an oncologist to finish her treatment, intended to happen for 2 years, from this November thru November 2016.
Update: October 16, 2014
Update: April 15th, 2015
On Sansa’s Health: She has been receiving chemotherapy treatment from November 2014 and must continue thru November 2016. She is thankfully in remission, but because chemo weakens the immune system, she got a virus in March and was in the hospital for a week because her white blood cell count was low.
On Sansa’s Spirit: “She’s a Happy Crazy Kid! Upbeat all the time… which is amazing to us given all she’s been through.
On Being Sansa’s Parents: In the beginning, it was an adjustment to all of a sudden having a toddler in the house. We thoroughly enjoy being with her. She’s our JOY.
Sansa in Sanskrit means “Praise”. Seems so fitting as we pay tribute to this family … modeling Love, Courage, Vision, Faith and JOY…no matter what.
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