Kowen Kees with a Rare Disease Inspires Team Kowen Day Church Fundraiser
Christian Challenge Worship Center is raising funds to help a child with a rare disease.
ABC 31 News Reporter Keisha Swafford has the story on how this fundraiser can help the Kees family continue treatment for their son.
It took 18 months to diagnose Kowen Kees with eosinophilic esophagitis.
Kowen’s Mother Jennifer Kees says, “He first got sick when he was two years old, and they initially thought he had cancer.”
This disease prevents Kowen from keeping solid food or water down and he can only be fed through a pump.
Team Kowen Day Honoree Kowen Kees says, “I also have a dog named Rubble. He’s right here. He’s a service dog. He’s trained. And he makes me, if something goes wrong, he’ll protect me.”
Kowen went through multiple tests and surgeries on his intestines.
His mother says, “If you see him out and about, he looks like a typical 7-year-old, he wants to run, he wants to play. He gets more tired than other people because he can’t absorb the nutrients like other kids can. He has to wear a backpack so that he can have feeds through his G-Tube, but he takes it better than we do at times. He just runs with it, and we always tell him that he is brave, he is strong, and he is fearless.”
Every three months, the Kees family travels to the Cincinnati Children’s Hospital for his treatments.
“It’s hard emotionally, financially, and it’s just a struggle but it’s about getting the word out and letting other people know that these things are out there.”
They spend over $12,000 a year on medical and travel expenses.
Pastor of Christian Challenge Nathan Martin says, “To be able to help somebody with the kind of expenses that they have, which are really off the chart and to be able to lighten their load a little bit, it just gives us a great joy.”
Team Kowen Day is their way of celebrating the Kees family for the heroes they are.
Kowen Kees says, “It’s got to have so much fun. It’s going to be a horse there and other games and you can dunk people.”
Through the fundraiser, they can spread awareness and raise money for research.
Team Kowen Day is Saturday, March 25th starting at 10 AM.
