GREENVILLE, SC. — What began as a worried mother sharing her frustrations with a teacher turned into a lifeline of hope for one Lowcountry Connections Academy (LCCA) student and her family.
Maze, a student at LCCA, has been battling two serious medical conditions – one neurological and one autoimmune. Traditional treatments offered close to home had little effect.
With few options left, Maze’s family sought help through a clinical trial at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital.
“Maze is participating in a clinical study to help researchers understand more about AMPS, chronic pain, and to see what overlaps with other diagnoses, like Dysautonomia and POTS,” said Maze’s mother. “In addition to the initial 3-week stay at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital, referred by Prisma, there was an intensive inpatient treatment program to help patients with chronic pain, AMPS, and other underlying conditions to regain functionality and independence in their lives. The program helps patients to better manage their symptoms.”
The family suddenly faced a daunting challenge: how to afford travel back and forth to Cincinnati for follow-up visits while already stretched thin.
That’s when one conversation with Maze’s math teacher, Ms. Rachel Mincey, sparked a remarkable chain of generosity.
“Mom just kind of got a little upset and opened up and let me know, you know, finances and having to go back and forth to Cincinnati,” Ms. Mincey said. “And I said, I think you’re talking to the right person. I still have those connections. Let me see what I can do.”
Within days, Ms. Mincey connected the family with Angel Flight East, a nonprofit that provides free air transportation for patients in need. The family also received support for food, transportation, and lodging.
“The amazing thing about this whole situation was the coincidence of the family being able to have the conversation with the right staff member and her being able to really work with connections that she had built over the years to pull this all together,” School Leader Dr. Hunter Jolley added.
For Maze’s family, the worry of how to get back to treatment no longer overshadows their hope for her health. And for Lowcountry Connections Academy, this act of compassion is a reminder of why the school exists: to support students not only academically, but in life.
Maze and her family did not arrive at the airport alone. Their “village” included LCCA leadership, faculty, and staff; Charter Institute at Erskine leadership; and Representative Chris Huff. The send-off featured banners, gifts, and expressions of support.
“Our virtual children can be very invisible sometimes, but they’re everywhere,” said Institute Superintendent Cameron Runyan. “They’re real and they’re important, and they matter not just to their families and communities, but to the entire state of South Carolina.”
The Charter Institute at Erskine’s virtual schools serve 15,000 students across South Carolina in every ZIP code. However, it’s one-to-one relationships like this that demonstrate the power of a community of care.
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Lowcountry Connections Academy is a tuition-free online public charter school serving students across South Carolina. The school provides personalized learning, flexibility, and innovative academic and emotional support for students in kindergarten through 12th grade. It is authorized by the Charter Institute at Erskine. Learn more about Lowcountry Connections Academy here – www.connectionsacademy.com/south-carolina-online-school/.
