Hello, Everyone! Let me introduce someone special: Our son, Joey. Joey is an amazing young man with Down
syndrome that is in need of funding for a set of permanent dentures. Here’s his story:
Joey was born on December 4, 1986 in Manitowoc, WI. Currently Joey is 28. He has been very fortunate because he hasn’t had major medical problems like many people with Down syndrome. His biggest health concern has been chronic sinus congestion and not having good teeth. Many people with Down syndrome are born with deformities in their teeth structure. Joey is one of those people. He was born with primarily baby teeth with a few secondary teeth that came in after he was three. As a result, his teeth started breaking down. (Baby teeth aren’t meant to last a lifetime, as most of you know.) When he was 26, all of Joey’s teeth were removed in anticipation of dentures.
Unfortunately, the dentures were not a good fit, and continue not to be a good fit for Joey. Again, another characteristic of someone with Down syndrome is having a larger tongue than normal. Joey’s tongue gets in the way of the dentures fitting well and, more often than not, the tongue will actually push the dentures out.
We have been fortunate enough to find a specialist in Wausau who is willing to place permanent dentures in Joey’s mouth. The procedure is called a 4 on 4. Basically, it involves placing 4 pegs in the upper gum, 4 pegs in the lower gum and, after healing for four months, permanent dentures will be affixed to the pegs with screws. This is a wonderful option for Joey because his busy tongue won’t be able to push the teeth out.
Joey has lost a considerable amount of weight and is also losing muscle because he’s not able to eat very many healthy, nutritional foods. His diet has consisted primarily of noodle-based meals like macaroni and cheese; oatmeal; gogurts; pudding; and an occasional McDouble cut up into very small pieces. In addition, he has nutritional drinks every day.
Joey works part time for the City of Stevens Point. He has also worked at Kwik Trip for about a year.
Joey is also an administrative assistant for the UWSP Men’s Hockey Team in Stevens Point, WI (an unpaid position). He started out as an assistant coach for SPASH (Stevens Point Area Senior High), and when the then hockey coach got a job at the university, Joey then became a part of the university’s men’s team. Coach Brooks, staff, and all the hockey players are wonderful to Joey. We couldn’t ask for a greater group of people for Joey to be involved with.
Joey has always been very active in sports, including participating in regular bowling leagues as well as numerous sports for Special Olympics. Joey’s high for bowling is a 199 !
In 1998 and 1999, Joey was the poster boy for Shopko when it had a partnership with Special Olympics. He has also lit the torch for the Special Olympics summer games held here in Stevens Point. In addition to playing sports for Special Olympics, he also volunteers for them.
He is an amazing young man! We hope that you will consider donating to his dental work so that he can once again have his favorite food: Bologna and cheese sandwiches!
We volunteer and work hard in our community. It’s extremely difficult for us to ask for financial assistance for Joey’s benefit. However, Medical Assistance will not pay for the type of teeth that Joey needs, and our family simply doesn’t have the resources to cover the costs for the dental procedure.
The approximate cost for Joey’s “new teeth” is $54,000 - $62,000. The specialist’s name in Wausau is Dr. Wanserski if you have questions.
Give what you can, and thank you so much for your generosity and kindness!
Thank you, and God bless!
Jon and Catherine Sosnowski
Joey's parents
Joey was born on December 4, 1986 in Manitowoc, WI. Currently Joey is 28. He has been very fortunate because he hasn’t had major medical problems like many people with Down syndrome. His biggest health concern has been chronic sinus congestion and not having good teeth. Many people with Down syndrome are born with deformities in their teeth structure. Joey is one of those people. He was born with primarily baby teeth with a few secondary teeth that came in after he was three. As a result, his teeth started breaking down. (Baby teeth aren’t meant to last a lifetime, as most of you know.) When he was 26, all of Joey’s teeth were removed in anticipation of dentures.
Unfortunately, the dentures were not a good fit, and continue not to be a good fit for Joey. Again, another characteristic of someone with Down syndrome is having a larger tongue than normal. Joey’s tongue gets in the way of the dentures fitting well and, more often than not, the tongue will actually push the dentures out.
We have been fortunate enough to find a specialist in Wausau who is willing to place permanent dentures in Joey’s mouth. The procedure is called a 4 on 4. Basically, it involves placing 4 pegs in the upper gum, 4 pegs in the lower gum and, after healing for four months, permanent dentures will be affixed to the pegs with screws. This is a wonderful option for Joey because his busy tongue won’t be able to push the teeth out.
Joey has lost a considerable amount of weight and is also losing muscle because he’s not able to eat very many healthy, nutritional foods. His diet has consisted primarily of noodle-based meals like macaroni and cheese; oatmeal; gogurts; pudding; and an occasional McDouble cut up into very small pieces. In addition, he has nutritional drinks every day.
Joey works part time for the City of Stevens Point. He has also worked at Kwik Trip for about a year.
Joey is also an administrative assistant for the UWSP Men’s Hockey Team in Stevens Point, WI (an unpaid position). He started out as an assistant coach for SPASH (Stevens Point Area Senior High), and when the then hockey coach got a job at the university, Joey then became a part of the university’s men’s team. Coach Brooks, staff, and all the hockey players are wonderful to Joey. We couldn’t ask for a greater group of people for Joey to be involved with.
Joey has always been very active in sports, including participating in regular bowling leagues as well as numerous sports for Special Olympics. Joey’s high for bowling is a 199 !
In 1998 and 1999, Joey was the poster boy for Shopko when it had a partnership with Special Olympics. He has also lit the torch for the Special Olympics summer games held here in Stevens Point. In addition to playing sports for Special Olympics, he also volunteers for them.
He is an amazing young man! We hope that you will consider donating to his dental work so that he can once again have his favorite food: Bologna and cheese sandwiches!
We volunteer and work hard in our community. It’s extremely difficult for us to ask for financial assistance for Joey’s benefit. However, Medical Assistance will not pay for the type of teeth that Joey needs, and our family simply doesn’t have the resources to cover the costs for the dental procedure.
The approximate cost for Joey’s “new teeth” is $54,000 - $62,000. The specialist’s name in Wausau is Dr. Wanserski if you have questions.
Give what you can, and thank you so much for your generosity and kindness!
Thank you, and God bless!
Jon and Catherine Sosnowski
Joey's parents