Birch Bay charity assisting unmet medical needs for local children

Birch Bay residents Frank and Barbara Sanchez founded the Sisu Children’s Fund in 2000 after their daughter, Jolene, died of brain tumor complications at 21.

Over 20 years later, the Birch Bay-based charity is still helping local children and young adults pay for uninsured medical needs, most recently donating a wheelchair to a seven-year-old Blaine child.

While Barbara said her family never paid a medical bill through their insurance, they incurred expenses from medical travel and other uninsured costs, such as therapeutic horseback riding and a brain retraining program after Jolene suffered a stroke.

“I know how much it cost us and we had perfect insurance,” she said. “There are so many things out there that insurance won’t pay for that are beneficial for the child.”

The nonprofit is committed to helping children and young adults throughout the state, but prioritizes those in Whatcom and Skagit counties. Barbara said the organization donates about $25,000 annually to support academic scholarships and unmet needs such as speech and physical therapy, service dog training, therapeutic horseback riding and auditory devices.

One of Sisu’s most recent donor recipients, Kassy Stuart, had been fighting for about four years to get a wheelchair for her seven-year-old son, Kenai Stuart. He was born without 146 genes on his seventh chromosome, and was the only person on record with the condition at the time. He was also born with cerebral palsy and has had several open heart surgeries.

“It was so disheartening to have so many walls come up with the insurance,” Kassy said. “It’s too bad when you pay out so much every month and then to have an enormous kick back when it’s a daily medical need for him.”

Kassy learned of the Sisu Children’s Fund through another Blaine mom and two months later, on January 4, received the $6,400 customizable wheelchair her son had needed for most of his life. Kenai had previously used an adaptive stroller that Kassy purchased second-hand that did not properly fit.

Kassy said the wheelchair will allow Kenai to eventually propel himself, reduce his risk of scoliosis and help him socialize with his classmates.

“I’m hoping it will help other people see him more as himself,” Kassy said.

As a public charity, Sisu relies on donations received from the public and businesses which then enables it to give directly to families. Barbara said Sisu is unable to help with large expenses such as rent, but fills in the smaller gaps.

“It felt like something that was a calling to help out,” Barbara  said. “We’re trying to cover a basis that nobody else covers.”

Barbara said she and her husband, Frank, chose the name of their fund to be Sisu because it’s a Finnish concept that means to have courage and perseverance in the face of adversity.

“We thought it was fitting to say we hope we give the children we help sisu for a better life,” she said.

People can donate or apply for funds on the nonprofit’s website, sisuchildrensfund.org. Applications will be considered at each of the quarterly board meetings; the next meeting is in March.

For more information, contact Barbara Sanchez at sisuchildrensfund@gmail.com or 360/671-8766.