Diabetes Home for Girls fights for funds

RIVER VALLEY and OZARK AREA — Erin Aylor of Dardanelle is combining her two passions in her newest effort, the Cyndie Parks Memorial Home for Girls. The home will be a safe haven for girls in need who suffer from diabetes.

“There is such a need,” Aylor said. “There are a lot of populations out there that are underserved, but this is a population that is unserved. There is nobody out there that specifically wants to help these kids.”

Aylor said she has always had a strong desire to adopt a foster child, but the timing was never quite right. In June 2008, Aylor was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes. Doctors originally thought she had type 2 diabetes because of her age. Type 1 is often referred to as juvenile diabetes because it is usually diagnosed in children and adolescents.

Aylor was frustrated about her diagnosis at first but now appreciates the effect it has had on her life.

“I’m so thankful,” she said. “People say, ‘Why me?’ but why not me? If it took me getting diabetes to care about these kids, then so be it.”

Aylor said the home will accept girls ages 14 to 18 and will provide medical, spiritual, physical, mental and emotional care. The girls will be encouraged to take responsibility for their health and futures.

“The kids in foster care already have it so rough, and then you ad on top of that a serious, chronic, life-threatening illness. They just need help to get their personal life under control. They need toknow that someone (is there) to love them and help them manage their diabetes care and make career plans and set goals.”

Aylor’s biggest challenge to getting the home up and running has been a lack of funding.

The home will not be government sponsored and will therefore rely on grants and donations.

So far, $15,000 has been raised, but Aylor needs much more than that to purchase a large home on 5 acres near the Arkansas River in Dardanelle.

She has until March to raise the funds. Otherwise, Aylor will have to explore other options.

A Februar y fundraiser raised $3,000. Donors who pledged a one-time, $1,000 donation or a $100 donation for 12 months received a freebird-hunting trip to the Flint Oak Hunting Club in Fall River, Kan.

Aylor is also hopeful about receiving a grant from an organization in Oklahoma City, Okla., that she will find out about next month.

Aylor has already received an inquiry from Arkansas Children’s Hospital in Little Rock about placement for a patient. Aylor hopes her dream can become a reality soon.

“It is the goal of the board to have the home operational as soon as funding and state regulations allow,” she said.

For more information about the Cyndie Parks Memorial Home for Girls, visit diabeteshomeforgirls.com.

- czilk@ arkansasonline.com

River Valley Ozark, Pages 63 on 03/04/2010

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