On May 19th, 2021, Clementine was six months old and became sick with a common cold. In the weeks and months that followed, Clementine was diagnosed with a non-traumatic spinal cord injury due to a very rare neurological disorder, post-infectious myelitis. Clementine was medevaced three times during her initial hospitalization and recovery. She spent 23 days on a ventilator and received daily breathing treatments for months following extubation. She lived in three pediatric hospitals in Boise, Seattle, and Baltimore. Due to the severity of her situation, Clementine’s mother was unable to work, prioritizing all of her time and focus on Clementine’s care. Due to restrictions from the pandemic, Clementine’s brother was unable to see her for over 3 months while she was hospitalized.

In the early hours and days that Clementine was hospitalized we were met with kindness, hope, and support from our crew of family, friends, neighbors, and coworkers. We also unexpectedly received support from people we did not know. Receiving messages, financial assistance, care packages, and travel support from people on 6 different continents, we felt the arms of the world wrap around us when we needed it. The support of our community helped decrease our struggle. The smallest gifts brought a moment of temporary relief for us, helping us to focus on supporting our children. Over the course of our experience, we consistently asked ourselves “How are other families with less resources and smaller networks navigating their situations?” With this question in mind - Clemy’s Crew was born. Our goal at Clemy’s Crew is to pay forward the support given to us by showing up for and supporting pediatric patients and their families when they need it most.

- Scott Thompson, Founder & President