Bethanie was born in 1996 with severe brain damage from birth. She has to take medicine to control seizures. He health otherwise is normal.
Bethanie is unable to talk, see, or take care of herself and is wheelchair restricted. She attends Thomas Jefferson Middle School where she gets educational help just as a regular child.
She has 3 brothers and one sister.
Along with her school activities you will see her at a race track from time to time as well as banquets and fundraisers.
With a big smile and a kick of her legs you will see how happy she is.
Bethanie Brandt
Nathan Balensiefen.......A Special Person
By: Steve Brandt Sr.
I would like to tell you about a person that I
had great pleasure to meet at the Bureau County
Speedway in Princeton, Illinois. His name is
Nathan Balensiefen. He was the 2006 street stock
track champion.
After the awards were handed out and all had
settled down, I noticed him walking back toward
my daughter Bethanie. Nathan stopped next to her
and sat down a trophy that stood almost 5 feet tall.
He smiled and said, "this is for your daughter, she is number 1."
I can't tell you what that meant to me. I had to thank him so I went up front to a friend, Eric Whittington, who was on the microphone calling out door prizes. I told him what Nathan had done. Eric was as touched as I was. So, he announced it to everyone what Nathan had done. Everyone became very emotional.
I just want to let Nathan, his family, and his friends know what this meant to me and my family. The town of Princeton and the race track are really blessed to have such a great kid and racer like Nathan Balensiefen. So, from me and my family.... THANK YOU.
Schaivo Case Resonates with Bartonville Family
Channel 31 News Peoria Il.
Monday, March 21, 2005
Terri Schiavo's husband says she never wanted to live "a persistent vegetative state," saying her quality of life is poor. But Steve Brandt of Bartonville says the quality of his severely brain damaged daughter's life is excellent and he can't believe Schiavo's husband is giving up. Eight year old Bethany Brandt is severly brain damaged. She was born with only a brain stem. "Less than an hour after she was born the doctor told us she was a vegetable, said Steve brandt, Bethany's father. Bethany's condition is similar to Terri Schiavo's except Bethany can swallow and no feeding tube is needed. However, if it was Bethany, her father says he would never have it removed. "It's so barbaric, you don't treat people like that," said Brandt.
On the other side of the coin, people like Schiavo's husband contends that forcing someone to live in what doctors call "a persistent vegetative state" is inhumane. They sai it can have a negative affect on the patient's quality of life.
"Most of us, when we think about quality of life (refer to our) ability to interact with others (saying) 'I don't want to be dependent on others caring for me, ' says Dr. Thomas Goleman with Methodist Family Practice. Brandt says that caring for his daughter isn't a burden at all, but an act of love. In addition to feeding and changing her, he also takes her to ther race track every week. And he believes his attentiveness and years of professional therapy have helped his daughter improve. "She's paying more attention to lights, reacting to sound, makes noises..small steps," said Brandt. He says Bethany is able to interact with friends and family, but like Schiavo, doctors say Bethany's reactions might just be reflexes.
Under Construction..... A Work of Love is Never Ending........
Welcome to Circles of Hope
Circles of Hope is a foundation devoted to helping children of racing families who have challenging health issues. We are funded by donations, helping with fundraisers, and purchases from our gift store. We have recently joined Track Force Racing Supplies in a joint effort to raffle off a Modified Komet Chassis now worth....
$4300.00 WATCH IT GROW!!!!!
Please support our suppliers as they come on board to help our kids by donating parts to the Give A Way.
Thank You to all suppliers and website owners who have generously donated parts and/or helped us advertise.
