Danielle Boreman and David Hitchcock’s daughter, Gabriella, was born with a rate genetic mutation known as Rett Syndrome. (Photo by Adela Crandell Durkee)

Thirty-year-old, Danielle Boreman never expected that the birth of her child would send her family into a financial tailspin.

She and her life-partner, David Hitchcock, 30, prided themselves in being self-sufficient, hardworking members of the community. Then again, how could they anticipate their 2-year-old child, Gabriella, would be born with a rare genetic mutation known as Rett Syndrome?

Rett Syndrome is caused by mutations on the X chromosome on a gene called MECP2. It affects approximately 1 in every 10,000 births. The mutation causes problems in brain function that are responsible for cognitive, sensory, emotional, motor and autonomic function. These can affect learning, speech, sensory sensations, mood, movement, breathing, cardiac function, and even chewing, swallowing, and digestion.

Usually, Rett Syndrome symptoms appear after an early period of apparently normal or near normal development until 6 to 18 months of life, when there is a slowing down or stagnation of skills. A period of regression then follows when she loses communication skills and purposeful use of her hands. Since the defect is on the X chromosomes, males rarely survive through a pregnancy. If they do, they often die soon after birth.

For Gabriella, Rett Syndrome took a more dramatic turn. Gabriella never got beyond supporting herself on her forearms and rolling over. Those skills left her before she turned 2 years old. Although Gabriella’s cognitive development is on target for any 2-year-old, she cannot move by herself or communicate verbally.

“She can exert her will, like any 2-year-old,” said Boreman. “She communicates with vocalizations, facial expressions, and her eyes.” Caring for her daughter is Boreman’s full-time job, making it unfeasible for her to return to her full-time job at the Follett warehouse in McHenry, as she originally planned.

The couple struggled to make ends meet, pinching pennies and taking out short-term loans. But they couldn’t keep up with their daughter’s increasing physical needs and medical costs. That’s when Mulliganeers stepped in to lend a hand.

Mulliganeers is a non-profit organization dedicated to raising funds for children and families in need. Mulliganeers formed several years ago by a group of longtime friends, who responded to different tragic stories in their sphere of influence involving children. Although many times they would individually offer financial assistance to the family in need, they knew that collectively they could accomplish so much more. The board of directors and committee members of Mulliganeers are all volunteers. They hold a major fundraiser each year, a golf outing, near St. Patrick’s Day, with most prizes donated.

Most of the services Mulliganeeers provide are donated. Mulliganeers believes that collectively they can help children and their families in their time of need. The name Mulliganeers comes from the golfing term mulligan, which is used for a ‘do-over’ or a free shot sometimes given when the previous shot was poorly played.

By a lucky coincidence, a member of the Downers Grove-based Mulliganeers began working with Project Love in McHenry County. Project Love limits its support to families of children less than 1 year old. But Mulliganeers immediately took Gabriella’s family under its wings. The group highlighted the family’s situation on its website. Before long, people began earmarking donations specifically for the family. According to Boreman, the board member who interviewed her and Hitchcock said, “That could be my daughter or my granddaughter.”

Now, Boreman and her family have a leg up as they approach the New Year. Their rent is paid for a few months, and their short-term loan is gone. Mulliganeers assured Boreman that it is there for the family for the long haul.

“Once a Mulliganeer, always a Mulliganeer,” Boreman said. “The organization told us they are there for the long-haul.”

They may need a lift, as Gabriella grows and becomes too heavy to carry, or they may need help with transportation or other medical assistance.

Boreman is filled with gratitude.

“I feel like I lucked out. I was just trying to catch up. Now I have all this support,” she said.

She hopes that one day she and her family will be on the giving end of a “mulligan” for a family that needs a second shot.

— Mulliganeers work Christmas miracles —