As she approached her first birthday, Minna seemed like a happy, healthy baby girl, her red hair and sweet smile charming everyone she met —that hasn’t changed. However, at 15 months of age we noticed delays in her development and set out to identify and confront the underlying cause of her challenges. On July 30th 2019 the doctors introduced us to Rett Syndrome and our hearts were shattered. We learned that our perfect little girl was going to face hardships that no child should ever have to face.
For the past two years Minna has been on a mission to combat her symptoms and build her skills to prepare for a cure. At 3 years old she is slowly learning to walk and communicate with us through eye gaze. She battles epileptic activity in her brain, severe reflux, GI issues, anxiety, motor skill deficiencies and irregular breathing patterns. Regardless of the level of difficulty or pain, she does everything with a smile. The one thing that Rett has not taken is her sweet, sincere, loving personality.
Our family’s mission since her diagnosis is to find a cure. The rate at which the research is advancing is what keeps us hopeful each day. We have committed our lives to funding research in any capacity to save the life of our daughter and, hopefully, children with many other genetic disorders.
Minna's Hero
4 Donors
Minna's Star
18 Donors
Minna's Champion
33 Donors
Minna's Supporter
27 Donors
Minna's Advocate
64 Donors
| Name | Donation Amount | Date |
|---|---|---|
| Theresa & Larry Staley | $100 | March 17, 2025 |
| Kathy Van Arsdale | $500 | March 04, 2025 |
| John & Kim Kieckhefer | $10,000 | January 23, 2025 |
| Connie and Jim Binns | $500 | December 13, 2024 |
| Deborah Beardsley | $500 | December 04, 2024 |
| Amy Van Arsdale | $300 | December 03, 2024 |
| Shannon Manning | $100 | December 03, 2024 |
| Craig Morton | $100 | December 03, 2024 |
| Alicia Doell | $100 | December 03, 2024 |
| Anonymous | $100 | December 03, 2024 |
| Kerrie Schmidt | $500 | December 03, 2024 |
| Cameron Fowler | $250 | December 02, 2024 |
| Kelly Otjen | $25 | October 29, 2024 |
| Jordan Vasbinder | $250 | October 03, 2024 |
| Kelly Otjen | $50 | October 03, 2024 |
| Kathy Van Arsdale | $500 | April 18, 2024 |
| Kathy Van Arsdale | $500 | April 01, 2024 |
| Michael Schoen | $200 | March 04, 2024 |
| Julie Behrendt | $200 | January 31, 2024 |
| Sue Cain | $250 | December 26, 2023 |
| Cait,Sean,Amanda Moorhead | $100 | December 23, 2023 |
| Caroline & Chris Van Arsdale | $10,000 | December 01, 2023 |
| Caroline & Chris Van Arsdale | $10,000 | December 01, 2023 |
| Trevor Graham | $1,000 | November 30, 2023 |
| Amy Van Arsdale | $200 | November 29, 2023 |
| Diane Willian | $500 | November 29, 2023 |
| Jennifer Cronin | $200 | November 29, 2023 |
| Cynthia Toal | $50 | November 29, 2023 |
| Erica Nuyen | $100 | November 29, 2023 |
| Cameron Fowler | $100 | November 29, 2023 |
| Deborah Beardsley | $1,000 | November 28, 2023 |
| Nancy Thomas | $500 | November 28, 2023 |
| Pam Hendrix | $25 | November 28, 2023 |
| Robyn & Jerry Bien-Willner | $360 | November 28, 2023 |
| James Chapin | $100 | November 28, 2023 |
| Mike Roberts | $100 | November 28, 2023 |
| Kelly Otjen | $100 | November 28, 2023 |
| Chuck & Mandy Thomson | $100 | November 28, 2023 |
| Kathy Van Arsdale | $3,000 | November 28, 2023 |
| Timothy Freeman | $100 | November 28, 2023 |
| Christy Radovcic | $100 | November 28, 2023 |
| McKenna Hogue | $100 | November 28, 2023 |
| Jen Leonetti | $100 | November 28, 2023 |
| Anonymous | $250 | November 28, 2023 |
| Joe Haberl | $500 | November 28, 2023 |
| Mona Smith | $500 | September 02, 2023 |
| Kathy Van Arsdale | $400 | May 12, 2023 |
| Martha Gomez | $200 | May 10, 2023 |
| Alison Loomis | $250 | April 23, 2023 |
| Claudia Teetsel | $100 | February 16, 2023 |
| Kathy Van Arsdale | $500 | January 16, 2023 |
| Joe & Barb Strittmatter | $50 | December 29, 2022 |
| Kathy Van Arsdale | $3,000 | December 27, 2022 |
| Chris Janick | $1,000 | December 16, 2022 |
| Arlene Ben-Horin | $50 | December 14, 2022 |
| Randi Yaw | $250 | November 30, 2022 |
| Anonymous | $250 | November 30, 2022 |
| Linda Yaw | $50 | November 30, 2022 |
| Mimi Zipser | $500 | November 29, 2022 |
| SAN TAN FORD | $250 | November 29, 2022 |
| Kelly Otjen | $25 | November 29, 2022 |
| Rebecca Erbe | $250 | November 29, 2022 |
| Jill Zeman | $100 | November 29, 2022 |
| James Chapin | $100 | November 29, 2022 |
| Kathy Van Arsdale | $500 | November 29, 2022 |
| Jeanne Berg jberg244@charter.net | $100 | November 26, 2022 |
| Cameron Fowler | $100 | November 09, 2022 |
| Diane Willian | $500 | October 31, 2022 |
| Nancy Thomas | $250 | October 30, 2022 |
| Jennifer Leonetti | $250 | October 30, 2022 |
| Joseph Haberl | $500 | October 29, 2022 |
| Carol Perry | $500 | October 28, 2022 |
| Marc Cavness | $100 | October 28, 2022 |
| amy Stoney | $200 | October 28, 2022 |
| Janette Otjen | $100 | October 02, 2022 |
| Kathy Van Arsdale | $337 | September 07, 2022 |
| Kathy Van Arsdale | $1,000 | June 01, 2022 |
| Claudia Teetsel | $100 | May 22, 2022 |
| Kathy Van Arsdale | $675 | March 28, 2022 |
| Thammy Donnelly | $200 | March 09, 2022 |
| Kathy Van Arsdale | $600 | February 07, 2022 |
| David Amster | $180 | January 19, 2022 |
| Barry Axler & Assoc Ltd | $180 | January 10, 2022 |
| Tom Johnson | $100 | January 10, 2022 |
| Celia Teteak | $100 | December 28, 2021 |
| Marcia Anderson | $500 | December 19, 2021 |
| Marcia and Jeff Anderson | $500 | December 15, 2021 |
| REBECCA ERBE | $500 | December 08, 2021 |
| Susan Harris | $500 | December 08, 2021 |
| Jason Van Arsdale | $100 | December 07, 2021 |
| Maureen and Hutchinson | $100 | December 03, 2021 |
| Lorin Swift | $250 | December 02, 2021 |
| Wayne A Case | $250 | December 01, 2021 |
| Jane Horn | $100 | December 01, 2021 |
| James Chapin | $100 | December 01, 2021 |
| Shannon Hoenninger | $100 | December 01, 2021 |
| Diane Willian | $500 | December 01, 2021 |
| MaryPat Butler | $500 | December 01, 2021 |
| Erica Nuyen | $100 | December 01, 2021 |
| Sydney Sherman | $250 | November 30, 2021 |
| Lindsay Ambriz | $100 | November 30, 2021 |
| Nancy Thomas | $100 | November 30, 2021 |
| Charles & Amanda Thomson | $100 | November 30, 2021 |
| Shaun McCrain | $100 | November 30, 2021 |
| Kathy Van Arsdale | $1,000 | November 30, 2021 |
| Kelly Vasbinder | $100 | November 30, 2021 |
| MARY KAY LEONETTI | $1,000 | November 30, 2021 |
| Megan Hedstrom | $50 | November 30, 2021 |
| Amy Stoney | $250 | November 29, 2021 |
| Joseph Haberl | $560 | November 24, 2021 |
| Kathy Van Arsdale | $250 | November 21, 2021 |
| Anne & Jim Spellman | $1,000 | November 05, 2021 |
| Kathy Van Arsdale | $300 | November 03, 2021 |
| Alison Loomis | $250 | October 28, 2021 |
| Shannon Manning | $100 | October 28, 2021 |
| Anonymous | $100 | October 28, 2021 |
| Krystal Gillis | $100 | October 26, 2021 |
| Phoebe Fox | $100 | October 26, 2021 |
| Michael Baumann | $100 | October 26, 2021 |
| Arlene Ben-Horin | $50 | October 26, 2021 |
| Parrish Scott | $100 | October 26, 2021 |
| Jill Zeman | $100 | October 19, 2021 |
| Cameron Fowler | $250 | October 18, 2021 |
| Mimi Zipser | $500 | October 14, 2021 |
| San Tan Ford San Tan Ford | $1,000 | October 12, 2021 |
| David & Candy Bernstein | $1,000 | October 10, 2021 |
| Kathy Van Arsdale | $800 | October 08, 2021 |
| Deborah Beardsley | $1,000 | October 08, 2021 |
| Veronica Slavik | $440 | October 04, 2021 |
| Kristy Moore | $1,000 | October 04, 2021 |
| Jim & Carol Schmidt | $1,000 | October 03, 2021 |
| Julie Behrendt | $100 | October 01, 2021 |
| Jane h Horn | $100 | October 01, 2021 |
| Chris Janick | $1,000 | October 01, 2021 |
| Kerri Rouse | $100 | October 01, 2021 |
| Anonymous | $500 | October 01, 2021 |
| Randi Yaw | $250 | October 01, 2021 |
| Erica Jolokai | $100 | October 01, 2021 |
| Anonymous | $500 | October 01, 2021 |
| Kathy Van Arsdale | $120 | September 19, 2021 |
| Dixie & Larry Edwards | $100 | August 25, 2021 |
| Emily Resnick | $100 | August 25, 2021 |
| Kelsey Jacobson | $100 | August 21, 2021 |
| Kathy Van Arsdale | $552 | August 02, 2021 |
| David Wilcox | $250 | July 26, 2021 |
| George Wordingham | $1,000 | July 20, 2021 |
| Kathy Van Arsdale | $2,250 | July 20, 2021 |
| Jennifer Theobold | $100 | July 20, 2021 |
| Claudia Danovic | $100 | July 20, 2021 |
| Thomas McGlasson | $500 | July 20, 2021 |
| Susan Monahan | $100 | July 20, 2021 |
| Kathie Lee & Malcolm Howard | $1,000 | July 20, 2021 |
| Kathy Van Arsdale | $724 | July 20, 2021 |
| David Highmark | $500 | July 20, 2021 |
| Kathy Van Arsdale | $340 | July 17, 2021 |
| Caroline & Chris Van Arsdale | $10,000 | June 23, 2021 |