During a rare weekend off, Carlton suffered a life-changing C1-C4 spinal cord injury following a terrible slip and fall at home. Now a quadriplegic with no use of his legs and limited use of his arms, Carlton has spent the last several months in hospital care and rehab. His continued improvement now requires a more focused therapy regimen in hopes of gaining additional function in his arms, hands and legs.
Prior to his accident, Carlton was an avid sportsman and sous chef and a vibrant part of his community. In hopes of returning to a productive life, he is now focused on optimum nutrition as a means of maintaining both his muscle and bone mass while losing weight – to date he has lost 40 pounds! Carlton is currently writing his own collection of nutritionally-based Southern inspired recipes which he hopes to someday have published (and perhaps plate a few of them with his own hands).
Even with insurance, Carlton will have many uninsured injury-related expenses such as: specialized rehab therapy, durable therapy equipment, co-pays and deductibles and doctor visits. The Center for Disease Control estimates that an individual who has sustained a spinal cord injury will have between $500,000 and $3 million in out-of-pocket lifetime expenses. Carlton’s deepest desire is to become as physically independent as possible and to once again be a productive member of his own family and community. It is his desire that with increased mobility, he will be able to make a difference with his life whether it is in food services, nutritional and dietary support, food preparation or personal one-on-one encouragement.
To help offset such expenses, a fundraising campaign in Carlton’s honor has been established with HelpHOPELive, a trusted nonprofit organization that has been providing community-based fundraising guidance to patients and their families for more than 30 years. All donations are tax-deductible, are held by HelpHOPELive, are held by HelpHOPELive in the Southeast Spinal Cord Injury Fund, and are administered by HelpHOPELive for injury-related expenses only. If you would like to make a contribution today please click the DONATE NOW bar.
Please keep an eye on this page as we will be planning a few fundraising events. If you would like to donate your time or talent, please give me a call. Thank you for your generosity and support.
Sincerely,
Mr. Richmond Purnell
[email protected]
770-222-7396
