Raising funds for disabled child

Four-year old Abel Andrews has cerebral palsy from an injury at birth. He needs assistance to be mobile and a significant amount of attentive care from his parents, Greg and Kristine Andrews of Bend.

Abel has a gait trainer to help him get around, but his mother has to disassemble it every time they get into the car. A powerchair sits unused in their garage because they can't use it with a compact car.

Family friend Angela Marshall is trying to change that. The Sisters woman has launched a gofundme.com fundraising campaign to help the family purchase a handicapped-accessible van to ease their transportation situation. To date, the campaign has raised $4,775 toward a goal of $35,000.

"I've watched them really struggle," Marshall told The Nugget. "I just told Kristine, 'I want to know what your biggest need is ... 'cause I really want to help you guys ... We're going to keep it open and do as many fundraisers as we can until we meet the goal. I'm really committed to making this happen. They need a win."

Cerebral palsy is a movement disorder caused by injury to the brain, usually due to oxygen starvation occurring at birth. The nature and severity of the condition can vary widely.

The donation site can be accessed at www.gofundme.com/7p5y6s. Marshall said other fundraisers are planned, including an Art for Abel event in the fall. Updates on Abel can be found at Marshall's "Friends of Abel" Facebook page (www.facebook.com/friendsofabel).