Benefit planned to aid Wright family

    Kym Weiss is organizing a benefit to raise money for the family of baby Brenton Wright. The proceeds will go to help pay for medical and associated expenses for the family.
    The benefit will take place on Sunday, Feb. 11, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the new 4H building at the Chase County Fairgrounds.
    “We are planning to serve a variety of soups and desserts and have a silent auction,” she said.
    Raffle tickets will be available to purchase at a cost of one for $5 or five for $20, Weiss said. There will be a drawing every day throughout the month of February for 28 prize packages.
    Douglas and Sabre Wright of Imperial welcomed their first child, son Brenton, into their lives Oct. 7, 2017.
    “You don’t expect your newborn child to have any medical issues. So when it happened, it was so very humbling,” Sabre said.
    Brenton was born with an uncommon neurological condition called lissencephaly, a condition where instead of having a “bumpy” brain, he has a smooth brain, she said.
     Weiss of Imperial is a registered nurse (RN) and has a solid understanding of what his condition can entail.
    Weiss explained that lissencephaly often results in developmental delays, some severe.
    Another problem are seizures that are difficult to control. With children born with lissencephaly, 80 percent are afflicted with seizures, which Brenton is, said Weiss.
    The onset of this condition occurs in the womb between 12 and 24 weeks. Neurons or nerve cells are supposed to migrate from one part of the brain to another. With lissencephaly, they remain stationary, she said.
    There are varying degrees of severity with this condition, said Weiss. Some children never develop beyond a five-month-old level, while some will have near normal development into adulthood.
    There is no cure for this condition, but with supportive care, the condition can be improved in some children, she said.
    Sabre said Brenton is taking anti-seizure medication and probably will the rest of his life. This medicine can affect blood pressure and cause stomach issues like ulcers, so Brenton must take blood pressure medicine and a stomach protectant, said Sabre. He is also being given an immune booster.
    They will be taking Brenton to Children’s Hospital in Denver every two weeks to monitor the baby’s condition and progress, she said.
    Sabre said the condition is rare enough that it’s being looked at as kind of a study.
    “There are so many unknowns at this point, they don’t know where they will be in the future. The hardest part is the ‘not knowing,’ ” said Sabre.
    The aggressiveness of his treatment will determine how challenging the situation might become, she said.
    “We take it day by day. No parent expects this. It was eye-opening. We have been shocked at how the community has been supporting us,” she added.
    Sabre said she wanted to thank everyone who has reached out in support, provided meals and prayed for them.
    “It means more to us than anyone will ever understand,” she said.
    Brenton is almost four months old, and he is a very happy, active baby, Sabre said.
     Weiss said the family is facing a large amount of expenses in several areas for a long time to come.
    Raffle tickets can be purchased now and anytime during the month of February,  she said. The first drawing will be today (Thursday).
    To buy raffle tickets, or if anyone has any questions, they can contact Weiss at 308-882-0217.
    She also added that they are still accepting items for the silent auction, and to call if someone has an item to donate.