Community Corner

Chamber of Commerce Helps Aberdeen Family Struggling with Rare Condition

Aberdeen Township declares the day "Christopher Patrick Conklin Day"

The Matawan Aberdeen Chamber of Commerce welcomed an Aberdeen teenager as their guest of honor to the Chamber's annual holiday party at the on Dec. 8.

Christopher Patrick Conklin, known as Chris Patrick to friends and family, is fourteen-year-old suffering from Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome (P.O.T.S.).

The syndrome is a vascular one that makes his body unable to counteract the effect of gravity when standing up, and can also affect his body's ability to control heart rate, blood pressure, temperature, respiration, digestion, endocrine cognitive and other vital functions. Chris Patrick was diagnosed with P.O.T.S. after he had an exploratory surgery to remove his burst appendix.

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"Emotionally he is a normal fourteen-year-old boy. But physically, it is like having a toddler again. Some days he can walk, some days he can't walk," said Chris Patrick's mother, Cynthia Conklin. She now stays home instead of working in order to care for her son, who she said is prone to falling and passing out.

The Conklin's neighbor, Kim Saglamdemir, has two sons the same age as Cynthia's, and the boys are friends.

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"When [Kim] heard what we were going through, she stepped up and got involved and has been a driving force," Conklin said. The family hopes to make their home safer and more accessible for Chris Patrick by renovating it. Cynthia said they want to make their front walk-way wheelchair accessible and move his bedroom to the first floor in addition to building a handicap accessible bathroom on the first floor.

However, the cost of his medical care and prescriptions in addition to her not being able to work have made the renovations financially out of reach for the family.

Saglamdemir, who owns SSS Cleaning in Aberdeen, is a member of the Matawan Aberdeen Chamber of Commerce. She suggested to the group that Chris Patrick be welcomed as a guest of honor to the annual holiday party and that the Conklin family be the focus of the Chamber's holiday philanthropy. 

The Chamber raised funds throughout November and December, and multiple business owners stepped up to offer their services free of charge to the Conklin's.

George Dzurina, an electrical engineer who owns the contracting company G-Crew, offered to complete some of the physical and technical labor for the project, while Christine Balint, who runs her own architect company Christine Balint Architect, is donating her services to design modifications to the home and permits for the structural modifications.

"It is important that the project be done right," Balint said. "I am happy to donate the services."

Balint said she has yet to see the property, but architectural projects like this can run anywhere between $500 and $2,000.

Aberdeen Township Mayor Fred Tagliarini was also present at the holiday party. Tagliarini even had the day officially declared "Christopher Patrick Conklin Day" in Aberdeen, to show the township's support of the family during their struggle.

"Emotionally, it's overwhelming to see strangers in the community step up and help," Cynthia said. "It means a safe environment for my son that we can't afford."


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