New Madison Kiwanis helps family attend medical conference

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NEW MADISON – The New Madison Kiwanis Club hosted the Miller family at its Jan. 17 meeting.

The Millers’ youngest child, Chris, has CardioFacioCutaneous. Approximately 500 individuals worldwide are diagnosed with CFC, but scientists estimate that it occurs in 1 in 1,000,000 births.

Individuals with CFC have heart defects, distinctive facial characteristics and various skin conditions. Most also have feeding and digestive issues, short stature, vision problems and seizures. Overall, children with this condition fail to thrive.

While Chris battles nearly all of these issues, he is thriving in his large, lively family that includes his parents Melanie and Ted and his three siblings – Haley, Teddy and Caleb.

The family attended the Kiwanis meeting to share some exciting news. The entire family will attend an international conference this July in Florida because for the first time the conference is close enough for the family to drive.

His parents and siblings will have opportunities to attend panel discussions and seminars designed for family members of children with CFC. In addition, because of his work with Chris, his neurologist will attend to consult with other CFC patients from around the world.

Because the Kiwanis group strives to support families and children in the community and throughout the world, the members agreed unanimously to give support to the family, but there is much more that can be done to help them on their journey. The club encourages community members to help the family with housing, travel and food costs.

For more information on CFC, visit www.cfcsyndrome.org.

Individuals and organizations who are interested in supporting the Miller family in this endeavor may contact Brenda Miller at 937-996-1741 or Gwen Tinkle at New Madison United Methodist Church at 937-996-5341.

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