ZEELAND, Mich. — Imagine being unable to eat and enjoy food. That’s a daily struggle for 4-year-old Carter Rosenberg. He was diagnosed with eosinophilic esophagitis (EoE) at the age of two.
“[His body] sees food as almost like a bacteria or a foreign object,” explained Carter’s mother, Kellie Rosenberg. “He ends up with inflammation and pain, and that can cause some serious damage long-term.”
Because of his condition, Carter is severely limited in what he can eat. So his family made the tough decision to switch him to a gastronomy tube this past February, since getting food orally wasn’t an option.
Now Carter receives a special solution through a feeding tube four times each day.
“It’s heartbreaking, because there’s so many things that he doesn’t get to do that other kids do,” said dad Michael Rosenberg. “It’s difficult, but I think he’s done a fantastic job.”
As Carter continues to adapt, his parents are hoping to raise awareness about his condition to help other families dealing with EoE. They’ve partnered with the Campaign Urging Research for Eosinophilic Diseases (CURED) a national non-profit dedicated to researching a cure for EoE and other related disorders.
“They are 100 percent donation based, and it’s just so important for families that are dealing with this to be able to hold onto some kind of hope,” Kellie told FOX 17 News.
As part of National Eosinophilic Disease Awareness Week (May 19-25), the Rosenbergs are holding their first fundraiser for CURED, called “Carter’s Kool-Aid Stand” on Saturday, May 25.
Kool-Aid is one of the few things that Carter is able to have. He plans to run the stand with help from his parents from 10-2pm in Moran Park Church parking lot near Holland Hospital at 97 W. 22nd Street.
100 percent of what’s raised will go toward CURED.
For more info on Carter’s fundraiser, click here.
For more information on CURED, click here.