Scott and Megan Fabrizi are Southern Tier parents to two precious little boys who both have special needs. These parents are doing all that they can to give their sons the best possible lives but they've found themselves in a situation where they need a little extra help.

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Six-year-old Andrew is primarily non-verbal and autistic. His brother, Liam, is three-years-old and has a rare genetic disorder known as SMA. SMA stands for spinal muscular atrophy (Liam's is type one) which is a rare neuromuscular disorder.

Although Liam is a typical three-year-old in most senses, his genetic disorder affects his nervous system and he must undergo daily respiratory treatments because this sweet boy doesn't have the strength to inhale or exhale.

In 2020, Liam was able to start a daily oral treatment at home through a feeding tube which helps with his respiratory treatments, and, because so much of Liam's care takes place at home, A Room to Heal stepped in to give both Liam and Andrew room makeovers to create a fun and comforting space for them at home. The boys received their new rooms in August of 2021.

As Liam continues to grow, he will definitely long for more independence, but his current situation prevents that. This is where the Ramp-it-Up Youth Initiative wants to help and is asking our community for assistance.

Ramp-it-Up builds wheelchair ramps for homebound residents in Broome County through the Faith-in-Action Program which is part of the Broome County Council of Churches.

Ramp-it-Up doesn't just want to build a wheelchair ramp for Liam though. As a way to give Liam a sense of independence as he grows, Ramp-it-Up also wants to install a mechanical lift that will allow Liam the ability to go in and out of his home unassisted when he is old enough.

Liam's parents currently carry him to and from the car but a mechanical lift would help Liam be able to get and out of his wheelchair by himself which would make a huge difference as he gets older.

Ramp-it-Up is donating their time and skills to installing the mechanical lift, but the cost to install it is more than three times that of an average ramp install. Ramp-it-Up hopes to collect enough through donations to be able to cover the cost of the mechanical lift so that construction can begin in the Spring of 2022.

Any money raised over the cost of the mechanical lift and supplies to install it will be used to build more ramps for wheelchair-bound residents of Broome County.

Timothy Hafner of Americorp VISTA and the Broome County Council of Churches has created a GoFundMe account where people can make a donation toward the purchase of a mechanical lift for Liam. Because the Broome County Council of Churches is a registered nonprofit, if you decide to donate, your donation will be tax-deductible.
If you'd rather donate directly to Broome County Council of Churches to help Liam, you can send a check payable to Broome County Council of Churches, 3 Otsiningo Street, Binghamton, NY 13903. Please make a note on your check that the funds are for "Liam's Lift."
If you have any additional questions, please reach out to Sue Spencer, Program Director of Faith in Action Volunteers at 607-724-9130 ext, 304.

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