On March 5, 1999, Kent Keller, pastor of Kendall Presbyterian Church in Miama, FL, was diagnosed with a rare neurological disorder called Transverse Myelitis. Transverse Myelitis is a viral infection of the spinal cord which can cause significant damage to the spinal cord. WebMD describes the disorder as follows: “Transverse myelitis is a neurological disorder of the spine caused by inflammation across the spinal cord . . . transverse myelitis is a more specific term for inflammation (myelitis) across the width of the spinal cord (transverse) that results in changed function below this level while function remains normal above.”

The infection (inflammation) usually comes suddenly with relatively few symptoms. In Kent’s case, diagnosing the disorder took doctors 48 hours, and by that point the infection had already done its damage. A lesion formed on Kent’s spinal cord approximately the length of his neck which resulted in paralysis. After the initial diagnosis, Kent spent two-and-a-half months in the hospital, recovering and receiving various treatments. Since then, Kent’s left side has been extremely hemi paretic (mostly paralyzed) from the middle of his chest down. Kent also suffered paralysis on his right side. Though not completely recovered, his right side has regained functionality since the disorder first hit.

The infection and subsequent paralysis has affected every area of Kent’s life. Up until that point, Kent was in excellent health and able to pastor his church and school successfully. Since then he has become reliant on his wife for fundamental daily tasks. He has a motorized wheelchair which allows him some independence, and he is able to drive, but his disability makes even the most basic tasks difficult. The challenges of being a father of four increase exponentially in the wake of his disability as well, and doctor’s appointments and therapy sessions take Kent away from his pastoral duties and his family regularly.

After Hurricane Katrina, Kent and his family lost power at their home for a total of five days. As Kent is reliant on his motorized wheelchair to get around, a loss of power meant he couldn’t charge his chair. It also meant that there was no air conditioning in a house that, even in the middle of the night, was over 90 degrees, making it incredibly uncomfortable for Kent and his family. At that time, they didn’t own a generator.

The church received its power back after just two days, and when Kent and Heidi discovered that the church had air conditioning and the ability to charge his wheelchair, they decided to spend the following two nights at the church. His home didn’t regain power for two more days, forcing Kent to spend the majority of the following 48 hours in his wheelchair.

Since the illness caused prolonged hospital stays and required expensive medical equipment and treatment, finances are tight for the Keller family. There is an over $1,700 discrepancy between monthly income and expenses. A housekeeper is required because, between Kent’s needs and their four children, Heidi needs help around the house. The replaced patio, the generator and a portion of home maintenance were all due to Hurricanes Katrina and Wilma. Kent’s needs make up nearly half of the monthly costs for medication and vitamins. Further, $314 of the family’s subsidy from the Department of Children & Families will end this December. Kent and Heidi receive the subsidy because their two older children are adopted.

It was at this time of financial distress that Faith’s Hope Foundation stepped in to help. Kent and Heidi received $6,500 from the Foundation to help pay the mortgage, and the assistance has had a domino effect in their life. Currently, Kent is solely in charge of running both the church and the connected elementary school. Even without a disability, working 60+ hours a week to keep up with all the church and school activities would be difficult; Kent’s disability makes the workload even more challenging. Thus, saving money on Kent’s salary through Faith’s Hope Foundation’s assistance, the church will have the ability to hire an associate pastor to help run the church and take some of the burden from Kent. Kent will have the time he needs to get through daily tasks and spend time with his family, and overall, the family has been given hope. Because of Faith's Hope, the future is brighter for the Kellers than they ever imagined it would be.