Emily Progin, Content Manager
[email protected] / 800.642.8399
Release: Immediate
JULY 17: BOWL FOR A CAUSE TO HELP LOCAL WOMAN WITH PARALYSIS
Help Bariyah Roll to Independence at Stars and Strikes
STONE MOUNTAIN, Ga.—On Friday, July 17, bowl for a cause at a Bowling Spirit Night fundraiser at Stars and Strikes in Stone Mountain. Funds raised benefit the nonprofit Help Hope Live in honor of Bariyah Gilmer, an Ellenwood 32-year-old who needs a wheelchair accessible vehicle to keep rolling to independence.
Bariyah’s community has already raised over $1,000 at https://helphopelive.org/campaign/25769/
Bowling Spirit Night Details
When: Friday, July 17 from 4 p.m. to 10 p.m.
Where: Stars and Strikes at 1741 Mountain Industrial Boulevard, Stone Mountain, GA 30083
What: Bowl for a cause to help raise funds in Bariyah’s honor for an accessible van.
How to Participate:
- Enjoy your time at Stars and Strikes and keep your receipts while you make purchases onsite.
- Present your receipts to Bariyah, who will be located inside Stars and Strikes.
- A percentage of purchase price will be donated to Help Hope Live in her honor!
Onsite Contact: Bariyah Gilmer, (678) 820-9578
Bariyah’s Story
An Ellenwood resident for the past year and a Georgia resident for 6 years, Bariyah was born with a physical disability that led to the need for multiple surgeries in her teen years to address clubbed feet and dislocated knees.
Around puberty, she began to experience escalating weakness in her hands and legs. She was rushed to the ER at age 16 and received emergency surgery to stabilize her spinal cord. Now 32, she is living with ongoing challenges related to paralysis, and she uses a scooter to get around.
Despite these challenges, Bariyah has spent her life participating fully in her community and embracing the hope of an independent future. She participated in extensive therapies to regain as much mobility as possible. She completed high school from home during her recovery and attended FIU on campus.
Bariyah is more than her disabilities: instead of her scooter, “I believe one of the first things people notice about me is my smile,” she said. “You will almost always catch me smiling or being silly.” A great friend and a great listener, Bariyah loves reading, learning new skills, Hello Kitty, and Cadillacs.
“I have learned to live with my new normal,” she explained. “I have tried not to let my physical limitations keep me from accomplishing my dreams.”
There is now an obstacle standing in the way of a healthy and independent future. Insurance will not cover the cost of a wheelchair accessible van, which means Bariyah is facing $50,000 out of pocket to continue engaging with her community, attending critical medical appointments, and independently participating in everyday tasks such as grocery shopping.
That’s why she turned to the trusted medical fundraising nonprofit Help Hope Live. Her community has already rallied to raise over $1,000 in Bariyah’s honor at https://helphopelive.org/campaign/25769/
Donations to Help Hope Live are tax deductible to the extent allowed by law, and all funds raised will be administered by the nonprofit to cover verified medical and related expenses. Help Hope Live verifies medical and financial need for every patient.
Help Hope Live is a national nonprofit that specializes in engaging communities in secure, tax-deductible fundraising campaigns for people who need a transplant or are affected by a catastrophic injury or illness. Since 1983, campaigns organized by Help Hope Live have raised over $194 million to pay patient expenses, assisting more than 25,000 patient families. ###
