“Little Man”

11-month old infant facing serious medical condition; surgery Jan. 21

Imlay City  Eagles to host fundraiser and benefit

 

IMLAY CITY — Health issues are seldom a good thing, especially for young children who have so much potential in front of them.

However one local infant is facing what some may see as a daunting medical challenge and needs your help.

A benefit fundraiser and dinner is being planned to help with medical costs and therapy sessions for soon-to-be one-year old Mark Alan Michael Rogers.

His first birthday is January 12.

Mark has been diagnosed with Infantile Spasms, due to a stroke he suffered in uterine. This little man has been through more in his short life that most of us will ever experience.

According to Mindy Rogers, Mark’s grandma, his mom (Taylor) noticed her baby was twitching with spasms and signs of a seizure in June of last year.

She made a video of him during the episodes and shortly after sending them to medical staff, she and her husband, Kyle began a journey that took them to three hospitals.

The family rushed their baby to McLaren Lapeer Regional where they were told to go to Hurley Medical Center in Flint.

Emergency Room personnel quickly said for them to continue to Children’s Hospital in Detroit.

“We all believe Taylor making that video saved Mark’s life,” said Mindy Rogers. “Had she not done that, I hate to think what might of happened.”

Family members say Dr. Michael Cools the Chief Neurosurgeon at Children’s Hospital in Detroit has selected Mark as a top candidate for a rare surgery.

The upcoming surgery, that could potentially last up to 10 hours, is scheduled to be performed on Tuesday, January 21.

The surgery will disconnect the entire right side of his brain to prevent further seizures and allow the healthy side of his brain to continue to develop.

The surgical team will be working to minimize the number of physical limitations Mark would be facing, following surgery.

Mindy went on to explain, “‘Little Man’ has had so many appointments and now he is facing the biggest one of his life. We will all be there with him, every step of the way.”

His grandma went on to say through testing, they were able to discover Mark had suffered a stroke prior to being born.

“This surgery is going to disconnect the right side of his brain, putting everything for development on his left side. He is going to be one tired little boy, with only a half of brain to handle everything, but the doctors and medical team are cautiously optimistic.”

Following the surgery, Mindy says there will be some tense moments on the day of surgery.

“It’s going to be hard. But we’ll have each other there to lean on. His first few days in the Intensive Care Unit are the most critical. After that, it’s going to be a lot of physical and occupational threapy. We were all encouraged when the doctors told us there is an awesome chance of recovery.”

Kyle is an Imlay City graduate and the couple now makes their home in Lapeer. The couple has two other sons, Colt who is 4 and Paxton who is 12.

In an effort to come alongside the family during these trying days, a critical time for both Mark and his family, organizers of a BBQ dinner, auction, raffle and other events are planning to raise funds to assist with medical costs.

The fundraiser and dinner is scheduled for Saturday, January 18 from 4 to 7:30 p.m. at the Imlay City Eagles building located at 170 S. Almont Ave.

The event is being sponsored by Mark’s Uncle Wade Meyers and the Imlay City Fraternal Order of Eagles #4082.

“Taylor had to quit her job to take care of Little Man,” Mindy shared. “So that’s less income, and the bills don’t stop.”

Plans for the evening include a dinner by Brett’s BBQ running from 4 to 5:30 p.m. and a live auction beginning at 6 p.m. Raffle and the 50/50 winners will be announced at 7:30 p.m.

As the family works to navigate through this critical time, organizers say they want to lift some of the financial burden so the family can be focused soley on Mark’s surgery and recovery.

Family members say Baby Mark is facing a six-week hospital stay and once released from the Intensive Care Unit, he will receive physical therapy four hours a day, six days a week.

Your support and generous contributions will help make a world of difference to the Rogers’ family as they focus on their child, the family’s health and their well-being.

For those planning on attending the fundraiser, you are asked to purchase tickets in advance at the following locations: Steve Robbins, State Farm Insurance of Imlay City, The Country Market on Imlay City Rd. in Lapeer or you can text or call 810-706-4001.