Fighting For Jordan

A Sevier County woman is actively working to help raise funds to help her grandson, Jordan Burnette, 8, who is fighting a painful disease.

Jordan was diagnosed with chronic pancreatitis throughout much of his young life. The disease is a condition in which a child’s pancreas has been progressively irritated and becomes irreversibly damaged. The damage causes scarring and can lead to a loss of digestive functions. Some patients may experience poor growth especially if they are young when diagnosed. According to his mother, Corinna Burnette, Jordan is at high risk of developing pancreatic cancer.

Jordan’s only hope now is a pediatric total pancreatectomy and islet auto transplant. Although Jordan’s parents have medical insurance, the company does not cover this type of treatment.

Currently, Jordan is hospitalized in Minnesota at the University of Minnesota Amplatz Children’s Hospital. His mother is staying with him while his father works. The youth will have to travel several times to Minnesota to visit the doctors.

“If the transplant fails he will be a severe diabetic the rest of his life,” said Corinna Burnette. “We are arranging two benefits to raise money to cover medial costs and transportation costs.”

Jordan and his parents live in Asheville, North Carolina and both benefits will be held in their community. His grandmother, Nita High, is an employee at Dollywood and is seeking to help her grandson in any way possible here in her home town. Jordan is a student at Oakley Elementary School and is active in the Boy Scouts.

The family has established an account at Asheville Savings Bank. Checks can be mailed to the Asheville Savings bank at 1012 Patton Ave. Asheville, N.C. 28806. Please be sure to write “Fighting for Jordan” on the check. For more information call the bank at 828-254-1778 or call Corinna Burnette at 828-215-0737.