Featured Story: Because I Can.....Dream to Be Anyone I Want to Be

The Story of a Super Teen
Courtesy of Icing Smiles Blog Team & Mom, Kristen L.

New teenager Samantha Lindeman celebrated her 13th birthday in isolation. Although COVID-19 has been the cause of many isolation birthdays, this is something Samantha has grown accustomed to due a medical condition causing her to be sick most of the time.

Sam, or Sammy as her family affectionately call her, has struggled her entire life with Mitochondrial Cytopathy Complex 4. This rare disorder of the mitochondrial respiratory chain affects the ability of her tissues and organs to produce energy. This condition causes her to be very weak, restricting her to a wheelchair. She also has a gastrostomy tube for supplemental feeding and hydration. These things restrict her from doing normal things that her siblings are able to do.

Sam loves school. She is a smart and bright young lady, but the older she gets, the more difficult of a task it becomes for her to go to school. She tries to go but is now mostly home-schooled. Sammy is very artistic and loves to draw and read. Another thing that Sammy really enjoys is MDA camp and Camp Korey. These links provide more information about these two very special camps that cater to ill and disabled children.

Sammy and her family are associated with MDA of Washington and she is the Washington State Ambassador of the year. They are also a part of the Mitochondrial Research guild of Seattle.

Samantha has chosen Icing Smiles
to benefit from proceeds during her story:
Icing Smiles is a nonprofit organization that provides custom celebration cakes and other treats to families impacted by the critical illness of a child.