- February 5, 2025
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Simon Bradley was born on August 25, 2004.
His parents, Lisa and Paul Bradley, had little time before they were told their son had two congenital illnesses —Hirshsprung's Disease and Congenital Central Hypoventilation Syndrome —and would need a multi-visceral transplant surgery. At first, the Bradley's were told Simon would need a liver transplant, which led him to be transported to a hospital in Miami.
The family was only supposed to stay in Miami a week, but that week turned into two weeks. Then they were told Simon needed a five organ transplant.
For one year, the Bradley's lives revolved around hospital visits and the hope that their son would come home to Port Orange. Then, just hours after his first birthday on Friday, Aug. 26, 2005, Simon lost his battle with the illnesses.
Several months passed and Lisa continued to think about what had happened during the past year and the other families that were going through similar situations.
"While we were there we saw a lot of babies by themselves or parents that had to come and go because they had to work in order to have their insurance," Bradley said.
At one point between hospital visits, a social worker had also encouraged the Bradleys to fundraise to keep up with the increasing medical bills that would come with a transplant and the aftermath of surgery. When Simon had died there were still leftover funds and Bradley said she wanted to use them to help others. She now had a new goal to work toward — assisting pediatric transplant recipients and families through the Simon's Angels Foundation.
"Our goal is to keep families together and help in any way, whether that's medically or financially," Bradley said.
Since using those funds to help other families, Bradley has continued to raise money, mainly through an annual fundraiser held during April, which is National Donate Life Month. She also throws a Christmas party where attendees donate gift cards for families to use during hospital stays.
Since the foundation was started, around three-quarters of a million dollars have been raised. On Saturday, $86,000 was raised — $30,000 more than last year.
"My son is the same age as Simon would be so I think about that a lot," Shannon FitzPatrick Tatum said. "Knowing someone locally who went through such a traumatic and heartbreaking experience but can turn something tragic into something wonderful is amazing."
FitzPatrick Tatum is on the Simon's Angels board, which has grown from about five people in the beginning to around 25 currently.
"When I found out about Simon it hit me in the heart because we've had a loss in the infant stage of a child," board member Staci Tramont said. "I related on that sense of loss and wanting to do more and wishing at the time I had something like this to turn to and knowing how those parents just feel so helpless."
In addition to medical costs, the board also works to help raise money for other expenses, including travel costs and funerals. But the foundation's help may even extend to individuals who are on the organ donation side. According to Bradley, at the moment they are trying to help a father who has been struggling to pay rent after not being able to go to work because his daughter has been in the hospital.
"We're the voices for Simon on earth to tell people there's a need," Bradley said. "I know it's important."
For more information, or to make a donation, visit simonsangels.org.
