Current Initiatives

Kyla Leal Bursiek was born at 24 weeks in Salvador, Brazil. She weighed 1 pound 4 ounces, the size of a mango. Kyla spent 4 months in the hospital before coming home. She and her family moved from Brazil to her father's hometown of Boulder in 2005. Because of her premature birth, Kyla, now seven, has cerebral palsy.

Kyla loves attending first grade at BCSIS, wheelchair racing, and adaptive skiing, but does need a walker to get around. She and her family are in the process of receiving a service dog from Canine Partners of the Rockies to help with Kyla's mobility and daily living.

The Fairview Friends Foundation has set up a special fund to assist the Bursiek Family with cost associate with acquiring their Canine helper.

Kyla's father, Paul Bursiek is an English Teacher at Fairview High School, and is a Fairview Graduate, class of 1990.

To donate directly to Kyla's Canine Fund, please click HERE.

 

 

In mid-May 2010, Samantha Remington was looking forward to finishing finals at Monarch High School when she began experiencing unusual stomach pains and chronic headaches. She was hospitalized with a racing heart and arrhythmias.
In mid-May 2010, Samantha Remington was looking forward to finishing finals at Monarch High School when she began experiencing unusual stomach pains and chronic headaches. She was hospitalized with a racingheart and arrhythmias.
These turned out to be symptoms of a failing heart.

The doctors listed her for a transplant immediately and miraculously, five days later, on May 30th, 2010, Samantha had her second heart transplant. Her first took place eighteen years prior - when she was only four months old.

Although the Remington Family had always been able to pay Samantha's medical bills, the financial burden of this second transplant, combined with an overall reduction in medical benefits, has made for some very trying times. The medical bills not covered by their current insurance will be nothing short of overwhelming, and are currently in the tens of thousands of dollars.

The Fairview Friends Foundation has set up a fund to help pay some of these costs.

[Please click HERE to make a donation]

Tracy Scornavacco Ayers lost her battle with Cancer on April 22, 2008, leaving behind a husband and two young children, Alex and Mei Ling. The Fairview Friends Foundation has reached out to the family, contributing atotal of $3000 to their children's college funds.

Tracy was born on July 23, 1968 to Alex W. Scornavacco and Dorothy Morris Scornavacco in Highland Park, Illinois.

Tracy moved to Colorado when she was six years old. She graduated from Fairview High School in 1986 where she was active in the Drama Department. She graduated from the University of Colorado, Boulder with a degree in Fine Arts/Theatre and a teaching certificate.

Tracy moved back to the Chicago area, where she co-founded the Lake Forest Children's Theatre and enjoyed her time in the big city. She returned to Boulder and began teaching at Baseline/Manhattan Middle School, in the Theatre/Arts Department. She developed a successful dance program at Manhattan. Her philosophy of teaching the arts was to include and respect every student and to make sure that all students felt proud of their work. She created an atmosphere of positive energy wherever she was. She received much joy from teaching and was a supportive friend, as well as master teacher, to every student.

[Please click HERE to contribute to Ayers Family College Fund]

On March 6TH, 2010, Fairview Alum, Phil Cowdery of Longmont Colorado,suffered a severely debilitating stroke. Although his prognosis for significant recovery remains promising, Phil had been in-between jobs atthe time of his stroke, and did not have any health insurance.

Facing literally hundreds of thousands of dollars in medical bills, Phil's Family reached out to The Fairview Friends Foundation. Through an initial awareness campaign, a dedicated fundraising initiative, and various cash contributions, as of June 2010 The Fairview Friends Foundation has been able to raise in excess of $100,000 toward Phil's medical expenses - but we still have quite a ways to go.

Update June 17th 2010 from Paul Cowderey, Phil's brother -

The first two weeks in an at home setting for Phil have been filled with blessings and challenges. As many of you know, Phil suffered a seizure on Thursday June 17, which acted as a reminder that he is still in recovery from the immediate effects of the stroke and corresponding skullcap surgery that ultimately saved his life. All the experts agree, and we can see it first hand that over stimulation is not healthy for Phil. But moving from the structure and security of BCH with the highly skilled, 24/7 medical staff to a busy family of two adults, two teenage boys, two labradoodles, three guinea pigs and some fish... well you can imagine what happens when the guinea pigs forget about Phil's 4:00 Medications. That said, being at home has been great for Phil's morale. When as a family we say our prayers, Phil sincerely thanks God for giving him a family come and live with. My brother is really a sweet guy.

Michele had a baby shower / family reunion in Chicago this weekend and our boys had a scouting event so Matt Ward flew out to help out. There is no way a single person can manage this "family rehab center" alone. It was a great blessing to have one of Phil's oldest and closest friends here. Everyone knows Matt can cook and we had a few unbelievable meals but he also was keeping up with the laundry, cleaning the kitchen and helping with the less glamorous parts of Phil's daily care. We all made it to Saturday evening Mass and I was even able to leave the two of them during the day on Saturday for a few hours while I joined the boys for an important meeting.

This week Phil has a handful of Dr. appointments and hopefully we will have a decision on a new outpatient therapy program. I know that my brother is loved by many, and the care and concern you all continue to show him through your prayers, calls and emails is keeping him going. Thank you all and may God bless you and your families.

Paul Cowdery

[Please click HERE to donate to The Phil Cowdery Fund]

Matt Rawlings was scheduled to graduate from high school in the spring of 2010, but due to a serious - and mysterious - medical condition, Matt ended up missing his entire senior year.

In the summer of 2009 Matt began suffering from relentless and debilitating headaches. He has been in constant pain for more than a year. He has seen over 30 doctors since his ordeal began and has had numerous medical procedures to no avail. Doctors remain baffled as to the cause of his condition, and his health continues to decline. Many of the prescribed procedures have only worsened his condition, and he's now experiencing rapid weight loss and difficulty swallowing. At one point Matt's weight loss was so severe that doctors were forced to use a feeding tube. It has been very difficult for his parents and family to watch him suffer and not be able to do anything to alleviate his pain. Prior to his illness, Matt had always been passionate about sports, and was a three-sport varsity athlete.

 

The Fairview Friends Foundation has set up a fund to help pay some of these costs.

 

 

[Please click HERE to make a donation]