A Monroeville family has established a nonprofit to help families dealing with extended hospital stays.

That’s exactly where Regan and Ritchie Reeder found themselves months into their new daughter’s life in 2015. Myka Joy Reeder, at six months old, was diagnosed with a rare genetic disease that affects her liver.

She received a liver transplant just before her second birthday because hers could not process certain amino acids found in proteins — a condition called methylmalonic acidemia.

It will be three years in January since she received a new liver and her mother said Myka is enjoying a healthy life.

Now that the hospital visits have decreased, Regan said she and her husband had time to launch the nonprofit, “Pressing On.”

“When you need to focus on a sick child, life doesn’t necessarily stop,” said Regan. “We want to (help) along families however we can.”

She said the nonprofit will act as a family’s liaison, helping them connect to resources that are available, referrals to support groups and counselors. Eventually, Regan hopes the organization can offer services such as funerals, respite care and special needs education.

To sign up for care, families can fill out a form on the organization’s website, get referred or recruited, Regan said. The services are currently free.

“We’re doing this out of a funded nonprofit. We’re hoping to keep it funded for as long as possible for us to do the work,” Regan said, adding that only individuals have donated so far. There are no major foundations that have donated and they haven’t sought grants.

For more information, visit http://pressingon.org.

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