Community Corner

PHOTOS: Scouts Raise Funds To Help Pay Medical Expenses For Seven-Year-Old Born With Hydrocephalus

Burr Ridge scouts held a spaghetti dinner at St. Helena's to raise money to buy seven-year-old Lizzie Bozarth a special needs bike and to help pay for medical expenses not covered by insurance.

Burr Ridge scouts and their families came together Friday night to raise money for a little girl that has become part of their family.

Seven-year-old Lizzie Bozarth has been at nearly every event for Cub Scouts Pack 69, which is based in Burr Ridge. Her brother is a member of the pack, and her parents say they wanted her to be able to experience as much of a normal childhood as possible.

"Where Mikey goes, Lizzie goes," said Lizzie's father, Chris Bozarth.

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Lizzie was born with hydrocephalus, a condition in which cerebral spinal fluid does not drain properly, backing up and putting pressure on the brain. The build up of pressure caused damage to Lizzie's brain. As a result, she can not walk, talk, swallow or translate visual information into images. At seven-years-old, she needs to be fed through a feeding tube and can not get around without the help of a wheelchair.

Lizzie has been diagnosed with cerebral palsy, epilepsy, hip displaysia, scoliosis and cortical visual impairment. There is no cure for her condition. A shunt was surgically implanted to help drain the cerebral spinal fluid.

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Her parents would like to buy her a special needs bike to help strengthen her muscles and build dexterity. Lizzie's mother said that although their health insurance has been good about paying for Lizzie's medical needs, items like the bike are considered recreational and are not covered by insurance.

The family is saving to pay for a track system for their second car in order to help transport Lizzie. They are planning for the future as Lizzie continues to grow.

"She's already 50 pounds, so she's getting bigger," said Jennifer Bozarth, Lizzie's mother. "I have arthritis, so it's getting more difficult to move her and relocate her."

Cub scout pack 69 and boy scout troop 69, sponsored by in Burr Ridge, decided to hold the benefit to help pay for some of Lizzie's medical expenses and buy her the special needs bike.

"The insurance company pays for life maintenance, but she needs therapy to help improve functionality," said Ron Fox, chartered organization representative for the scouting program at St. Helena's.

Forty members of Cub Scout Pack 69, 20 members of Boy Scout Troop 69 and eight girl scouts from Troop 58241 volunteered to help with the spaghetti benefit on Dec. 2. Silent auction items were donated, a raffle was held as part of the fundraiser and were accepted.

"[The Bozarth family] has helped out with every event we have ever done," said Jennifer Rohrbacher, who organized Friday's benefit. "We decided that we needed to give back to our own."


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