Braxton is a spirited little boy who is much like his peers in many ways. He enjoys Star Wars battles and building Legos — and connecting with others, especially with his infectious joy.
Braxton’s mom, Brooke and his stepdad, Brian, say they are in awe of how far their son has come.
Braxton was born prematurely at 24 weeks. As he grew, his parents noticed something was off. He was missing major milestones like rolling over, sitting up and crawling. At the age of 2, he was diagnosed with cerebral palsy.
“I just decided that no matter how sad I was, I just said, I’m going to devote my life to trying to help him,” Brooke said.
To support Braxton’s growth and development, he requires intensive therapies, which can be quite costly. That’s when the UnitedHealthcare Children’s Foundation stepped in.
“The grants have definitely helped improve his life,” Brooke said.
Without the therapy he’s received, Brooke said he wouldn’t be able to dress himself.
“It’s just helped his development. It’s helped him progress in ways he wouldn’t have been able without that support,” Brian said.
The UnitedHealthcare Children’s Foundation (UHCCF) also helped Braxton’s family purchase an adaptive tricycle.
“The bike is definitely more than just a bike. It’s an equalizer … where he can be equivalent to his peers,” Brooke said.
Since 2007, UHCCF has awarded more than 34,000 grants valued at over $70 million. The funding pays for children’s medical expenses not covered, or not fully covered, by a commercial health insurance plan.
The goal is to support families like Braxton’s so they can focus on what’s most important – improving their child’s quality of life. The grants help cover medical services and equipment like various therapies, counseling services, surgeries, prescriptions, wheelchairs and more.
Are you eligible?
- Grant recipients must be 16 years old or younger at the time of application
- Must meet eligible income requirements
- Must be children under the care of a licensed medical professional with services rendered within the United States
- Primary coverage for a child must be by a commercial health plan, either through an employer or individually purchased. Secondary insurance through Medicaid or CHIP is permissible.
- Children do not need to be insured by UnitedHealthcare.
Do you know a family who could benefit from a children’s medical grant? Visit UHCCF.org for more information on how to apply.