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Wanted: An "Extreme" Home And Your "Extreme" Help

By: Mistie Thompson | 09/11/2008

Ty Pennington, the ABC cameras and the entire "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition" crew just rolled out of town after making a dream come true for a very deserving family and a special coffee-shop owner in St. Louis.

Don't go far, Ty. We need you back.

Ranken Jordan Pediatric Specialty Hospital is a Standing Partnership client that tugs at all our hearts. One of only a handful of its kind in the U.S., Ranken Jordan cares for sick and injured children who are well enough to leave a traditional hospital but still too ill to return home. Anyone who visits Ranken Jordan's "wicked cool" campus (seriously, check this place out - it's unlike any hospital you've ever seen) is touched not only by the courageous children fighting through complicated medical issues like traumatic brain injuries, cerebral palsy and complications from premature birth, but the families who are continuously by their side, helping children battle for every milestone and learning to cope with life-altering health issues.

But where do those families stay when they're too far from home to drive back and forth every day (who can afford that?) and without St. Louis-area family or friends with an extra room? Right now, they either get a hotel room (expensive!), or they leave their children at Ranken Jordan and visit when they can - a heartbreaking option for families, especially when their participation is so integral to a child's progress.

And that's why Ranken Jordan needs the "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition" team - or, frankly, anyone who can help them build a "Home Away From Home" for Ranken Jordan families. They've submitted an application to "Extreme Makeover," but since the show gets about 1,000 applications a week, and they just finished building in St. Louis, we need an extra push to get their attention. So let's rally, people! Here's what you can do to help:

• Check out our official "Extreme" campaign web page and sign the online petition


• Post comments about Ranken Jordan's request on web sites related to the show (you'll find links to those sites here)


• Join our Facebook and LinkedIn groups and invite all your colleagues, friends and family to join


• Follow our Twitter updates through username RankenJordan


• Spread the word - talk, write, email, IM, Tweet, sing, yodel - to everyone you know!

C'mon, Ty. You know you want to come back to the 'Lou ASAP. We'll stuff you full of toasted ravioli, take you to the top of the Arch and introduce you to amazingly courageous children and families who'll inspire you like never before. They need your help.

Posted in Culture, Community Assistance