News

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Brett’s Battle

Cerna Homecare is providing Care Management for another tragic case involving a young person. Brett Boyer is described as “adventurous and outgoing; a kindhearted, loving and considerate son, friend and husband to wife Amanda.” On January 28, 2020, Brett was critically injured in a motorcycle accident with an SUV.

Brett suffered a severe traumatic brain injury as well as a broken neck, multiple spinal fractures, broken ribs, a collapsed lung and lacerated liver. Currently, Brett is in a minimally conscious state.

Brett requires multiple therapies and treatments several times a day. The best outcome for his recovery depends on it.  Eventually, Brett will need the ultimate in care at a rehabilitation center providing a tailored program for his traumatic brain injury.

The Coronavirus pandemic is compounding this already unimaginable situation. On March 17, the hospital stopped visitations to Brett. No one, including Brett’s wife, could see him. His family decided to bring Brett home feeling without family and human interaction, his progress would falter.

Cerna Homecare organized Brett’s transition and ensured his home was set-up with the equipment and 24/7 LVN and RN care he needs. Additionally, Cerna Homecare is acting as emotional support, patient advocate and medical advocate, while also taking the lead on Brett’s case management. At the helm is Cerna’s President, Marc Friedman.

The costs for Brett’s medical care are staggering – estimated to be in the millions. As we all know, insurance covers but a fraction. Cerna Homecare is assisting the family with fundraising to help take some of the burden off them and Brett’s wife Amanda. Afterall, their focus should be on taking care of Brett and themselves.

Cerna helped to set-up a gofundme campaign for medical fundraising and an Instagram account to document Brett’s journey – as well as drive followers to his fundraiser. When you donate, leave your mailing address and a Brett’s Battle wristband will be mailed to you.

Please consider supporting Brett on his long road to recovery by donating. Stay tuned to Cerna Homecare’s blog and social media for updates.

Brett Boyer GoFundMe: https://www.gofundme.com/f/hope-for-brett
Brett’s Battle Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/brettsbattle/

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Helping The Homeless

As a on-going project and fundraiser the Cerna Foundation volunteers with helping the homeless in Orange County and Los Angeles.

Cerna Foundation co-founder Marc Friedman was quoted as saying
our commitment to the aging homeless population is on going. It is a heart wrenching situation with no end in sight. The geriatric population going without food, shelter or medical care is something we all should be very concerned about.

There is so much help needed.

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Osborne Strong. Kyle Survives Being Run Over by a Car

Cerna Homecare’s Care Management team has taken on another complex and heartbreaking case. Kyle Osborne, a 19-year-old southern California resident and college student at Washington State University (WSU) was hit, then run over by a car on November 24, 2019. The accident happened when Kyle was home for Thanksgiving break. The outpouring of support, love and kind words for Kyle are testament to the quality person he is.

Kyle’s skull was crushed resulting in hemorrhages on both sides of his brain, as well as internal and external bleeding. Kyle had emergency brain surgery. Since then, he has undergone two major surgeries to remove part of his skull. Kyle has been in a coma since the accident.

Cerna’s Care Management program is assisting Kyle and his family. A priority is getting him the therapy he needs to achieve a better baseline. Cerna’s President, Marc Friedman is acting as emotional support, patient advocate and medical advocate, while also taking the lead on case management.

Kyle’s head was run over by a car; it’s a miracle he survived. There is hope. Although, his journey is long and uncertain. The expense for surgeries, therapies, hospitalization, nursing care and more, will run into the hundreds of thousands of dollars.

Cerna Homecare is working to raise funds through our non-profit, The Cerna Foundation. Kyle’s friends are running a successful gofundme campaign for fundraising and a meal train campaign to ensure his parents and three siblings get meals while they focus on Kyle’s recovery. Additionally, an Instagram account is documenting his progress and setbacks at @osbornestrong.

Please consider supporting this bright young man during this dark time. Stay tuned to Cerna Homecare’s blog and social media for updates.

Donate via Cerna Foundation: Donate Here!
Kyle Osborne GoFundMe: https://www.gofundme.com/f/kk9v7-prayers-for-kyle
Kyle Osborne MealTrain: https://www.mealtrain.com/trains/2qky28
Osborne Strong Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/osbornestrong/

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Help for Hunter … a Boy Fighting Acute Flaccid Myelitis (AFM)

5-year-old Hunter Cech is a gentle, fun-loving and outgoing boy, who is always smiling. He loves playing outdoor sports like soccer and riding ATVs. You should see him on his snowboard!

That has all changed since Hunter was hospitalized five months ago with a sudden incapacitating illness. Cerna Homecare is working with his family to raise funds for a service dog and more intensive, consistent and targeted physical therapy for Hunter.

ACUTE FLACCID MYELITIS (AFM) DIAGNOSIS

In October 2019, Hunter was stricken with Acute Flaccid Myelitis (AFM), a rare polio-like condition. The odds of contracting this rare disease are one in a million. In Hunter’s case, AFM has caused sudden paralysis below his neck – with only slight movement in his feet and left hand. He cannot breathe, eat or swallow on his own. Hunter’s severe symptoms required a tracheostomy for breathing and a feeding tube in his stomach for nourishment.

There are no specific treatments for AFM, a disease that mostly affects people below the age of 18. A long journey is ahead for Hunter due to his unknown prognosis and rareness of the disease.

Cerna Homecare’s non-profit, The Cerna Foundation, has taken on Hunter’s care management. Cerna’s President, Marc Friedman is acting as emotional support, patient advocate and medical advocate, while also taking the lead on Hunter’s case management.

FUNDRAISING FOR HUNTER’S CARE

A GoFundMe account has been created by the Cech family and friends. The Cerna Foundation is also working to raise funds. Thus far, donations have been put toward 24-7 skilled care, specialized equipment, treatments, therapies, transportation, surgeries and physical rehabilitation.

#HUNTERSTRONG

Family and friends are selling bracelets to raise funds and raise AFM awareness. The bracelets are $5, with 100% of the proceeds going to Hunter’s recovery.

A SERVICE DOG FOR HUNTER

Despite his care, Hunter’s condition has not improved since October. There is hope. Increased physical therapy is key to Hunter’s progress. A service dog would supply companionship, lower stress, improve Hunter’s happiness, as well as perform functions directly related to Hunter’s current disabilities. The Cerna Foundation is dedicated to making a service dog happen for Hunter. Costs for care are in the hundreds of thousands of dollars. The more we raise, the better the odds for Hunter’s recovery and rehabilitation.

Please consider donating. On behalf of Hunter’s parents Doug and Debbie, his sister Hayli, and all who love little Hunter, your donations are infinitely appreciated.

Hunter Cech GoFundMe: https://www.gofundme.com/f/1-help-for-hunter

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Making a Difference for Gisela Herrera and her Family

Thank you to those of you who donated and shared Gisela Herrera’s gofundme link. Gisela was a Cerna Care Management recipient. She died November 20, 2019 – five days after her 43rd birthday. Gisela’s family and friends hoped she could spend her final days at home. However, her unstable condition required her to stay at UCLA Santa Monica.

Gisela was diagnosed with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia two years ago. Despite a stem cell transplant, the disease raged on. Cerna Home Care’s Care Management program handled the complex facets of her case. Our team connected with Gisela’s family to guide them, and Gisela, during the final part of her journey. Cerna also helped raise several thousand dollars towards her care.

At the surface, Cerna’s Care Management Program provided oversight of Gisela’s medical care.
Cerna’s role went far deeper than that. The family relied on Cerna’s Marc Friedman to act as an advocate and an advisory during Gisela’s last weeks. It was necessary to have an objective person in Marc who could help make those subjective decisions. Marc had to say, “Gisela’s condition isn’t going to turn around,” during an overwhelming and painful time for the family. Marc needed to make the right, and best, end-of-life choices for her and the family.

Cerna’s Care Management team took on the burden of important planning and legal documents by handling/coordinating hospice, the trust, a will, healthcare power of attorney, financial power of attorney, death certificates and cremation.

Marc Friedman attended Gisela’s funeral service on December 3, 2019. He sat in the back of the church. After the service, Gisela’s husband Ben walked to the back to hug Marc. Ben thanked him saying, “There is no way we could have made it without you and the things you did for us and Gisela.”

Marc is proud of the work Cerna had done for Gisela and her loved ones. The situation was heartbreaking. Ben’s hug and his words reinforced that Marc and Cerna Home Care made a difference, and that’s all we aspire to do.

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Doing More for Gisela Because it is Right

When UCLA Santa Monica asks for help with a complex case, you act. Cerna Homecare’s Marc Friedman went to UCLA immediately, where he was briefed on the critical case of patient Gisela Herrera.

Gisela is a wife, mom of three, head of household and has stage 4 metastatic cancer. She is 42 years old. Gisela was diagnosed with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia two years ago. Despite a stem cell transplant, her prognosis is the very worst imaginable. Sadly, she will continue to decline. UCLA is releasing her home for her to spend her final weeks, and the holidays, with her family.

UCLA has worked with Cerna Homecare before and Cerna’s Care Management program. UCLA knew our Care Management program could handle the complex facets of the case. However, the costs of Gisela’s home care are fully beyond the family’s means, costing $1,000 per day.

Marc said, “We’ll take this on, and we’ll help raise money to cover the Herrera’s costs.”

UCLA consulted with Marc about providing eight hours of care per day. Marc felt the best course of care was 24/7 care. Care will be provided by nurses and CNAs. Factors like Gisela’s feeding tube, CAD, pain pump, insulin, catheter, bed sores and more, are simply too much for the family to deal with on their own.

That was November 1st. As of today, November 5th, $6,000 has been raised by Cerna’s non-profit, The Cerna Foundation. Currently, the donations are at a grand total of $20,000 – raised through a Herrera family member’s crowd sourcing effort.

Marc spent the weekend making calls to get Gisela’s equipment, personnel and care coordinated. He also reached out via Cerna’s non-profit, the Cerna Foundation, with calls to action for donations, and will continue to do so.

This dire situation is made even more tragic by Gisela’s youth and that of her three children, who are all under twelve years old.

“Caring” is at the heart of Cerna Homecare. Compassion for our care recipients is not solely about providing quality care. It is being immersed in their quality of life and doing more without being asked – because it is right.

Gisela needs more. Efforts are halfway to the $40,000 fundraising goal. Please consider donating to “Gisela Herrera’s Fight” on Go Fund Me. https://www.gofundme.com/f/giselas-fight

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The Cerna Foundation Helps Maisie Romain

How does your foundation donations help our community? Here is an example of what The Cerna Foundation can do for those who need a little help.

Our foundation has been working with Maisie Romain for about a month. She was a oncology and cardiology patient at USC Keck hospital when a friend of hers referred her to us for patient advocacy and case management. Everyone involved felt someone objective needed to quarterback her care and advocate for her needs and recovery. She felt she was being treated as a disease and not as a person. She and her family said that immediately changed once we got involved And it has stayed that way every day since.

We got Maisie home this past Thursday and continue to stay involved in managing her care In her Facebook page with 15,000 followers and go fund me page. She wrote that without Marc Friedman and Cerna I may have never made it home.  My care completely changed dramatically for the better the moment Marc got involved.

We are forever grateful to The Cerna Foundation and their amazing work!

Contact:
Marc Friedman
The Cerna Foundation
p: 844-981-CARE
e: info@thecernafoundation.

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Thanks for Giving: Schwinn Scooter

The Cerna Foundation is so grateful for a recent equipment donation. A family who purchased a scooter for a loved one, who never got to use it, has generously donated it to the Cerna Foundation.
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Copyright, The Cerna Foundation - 2020