At The Love for Lochlin Foundation Inc our Mission is to prevent, educate, and drive awareness to the deadly impacts of the Flu and Sepsis in Frederick County Maryland.
It is our promise that we will work tirelessly to see that no more lives are lost to the Flu or SEPSIS due to the lack of access to resources needed in our community.
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Love For Lochlin at a Glance
Our Story
On January 20th of 2020, our 5-year-old son Lochlin passed away suddenly from complications of Flu related Sepsis. He was a healthy energetic young boy who was full of life. He developed mild flu like symptoms the evening of Friday January 17th after returning home from school. On Saturday and into Sunday he was feeling better and was even up running around with his brothers. However, by Sunday evening he started to feel worse and seemed to have lost his appetite. Lochlin was complaining of severe muscle pains in his legs making it difficult to walk, had a mild fever, and was low on energy. Sunday night we took him into an Urgent care where he was diagnosed with Influenza Type A. We were instructed to take him home, give him fluids and if he was not better in the morning to take him into the emergency room. The next morning, he was not feeling any better and his muscle pains had increased to the point where he refused to walk so, we took him to the emergency room. Unfortunately, at that point it was too late. He started to go into Septic shock and the medical staff was unable to save him. He passed away shortly after. This was a devastating blow to our Family. However, it was also an eye-opening experience. We knew that we had to do something, get the word out, and make sure that this type of tragedy did not happen again in our community.
Since Lochlin’s passing we have set out on a mission to educate and protect as many people as possible from the deadly impacts that infectious diseases can have on our communities. We started this Non-profit organization, The Love for Lochlin Foundation Inc, which is dedicated to fulfilling that mission. We have taken a two-pronged approach at fighting the spread of infectious diseases; one is through vaccination clinics that we conduct in the low-income and underserved areas of our community where people do not have the means or awareness to get vaccinated, along with getting flu vaccines into all schools making it easier for children to get vaccinated. The second is through legislation to help get protocols and testing for SEPSIS put into place for all medical practices. 1 out of 3 deaths in hospitals are caused by sepsis, however 87% of SEPSIS cases start in the community. By implementing protocols and improving testing and awareness among the public and all medical facilities we aim to reduce that number dramatically.
As we look to the future, we are growing our organization and accelerating our efforts to assure that we can help protect, educate, and drive awareness to the impacts of these infectious diseases. We have established partnerships with county Health Departments along with other local health organizations to increase our mobile clinic volume and overall outreach to the community. Our goal over the next three years is to scale our efforts so that we can protect as many people as possible from experiencing the pain that our family has endured. By focusing our efforts on prevention and partnering with other organizations we hope to achieve all time lows in deaths and hospitalizations related to infectious diseases.
We also know that our strength lies not only in the words we stand by, but most importantly through the actions of our initiatives. Which is why our organization is determined to make a difference and win the battle against infectious diseases in the name of our son, Lochlin DeSantis.
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We hope that you too will join us in our fight against infectious diseases! Get educated, get vaccinated, and ask more questions! Because together, we can accomplish anything!
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Sincerely,
William & Brooke DeSantis
Founders
The Love for Lochlin Foundation Inc
Frederick, MD 21702
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Initiatives
Supporting The Community
SUPPORTING THOSE IN NEED
With this initiative, our goal is to promote and support those in need. With access to the right resources, people can become empowered by their own abilities and gain the confidence to fulfill their potential. With our mission at the forefront we work hard to help educate, protect, and empower all patrons in our community regardless of their circumstances. Learn more about our work by getting in touch with our team today.
A Healing Partnership:
Bridging Education and Community Care for a Healthier Tomorrow
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We are thrilled to announce the commencement of a transformative 5-year partnership with Hood College's Nursing program. This collaboration marks a significant milestone in our commitment to fostering community-driven healthcare solutions. Through this innovative initiative, nursing students will have the unique opportunity to immerse themselves in local communities, gaining firsthand insights into the needs and challenges that shape the health landscape. This experience-based learning approach not only enriches the educational journey of the students but also equips them with a profound understanding of the diverse healthcare needs within our community. Simultaneously, our organization benefits from this partnership by enhancing our capacity to provide targeted and essential healthcare services. Together, we look forward to making a lasting impact on both the education and health outcomes of our community.
Flu & Sepsis Awareness
Our organizations core mission is to provide awareness, education, and protection to everyone from the deadly impacts of the Flu and Sepsis. The Flu and Sepsis kill thousands of people every year. However, it can be prevented if you know the signs and symptoms! Which is why we do free flu clinics in our community every week leading up to and during flu season to help those in need protect themselves against the FLU and get educated on the signs and symptoms of Sepsis. Click below to learn more and help us on our mission!
Wellness Clinics
We hold weekly wellness clinics in low income and underserved neighborhoods where we provide free vaccines, educational information, critical need items (clothing, food, sanitary items, etc), and usually a fun treat for everyone! Our mission is to make sure that everyone has access to these resources, along with understanding and educating them on the importance of staying vaccinated and taking the proper steps to prevent the spread of infectious diseases in our community.
You too can become a Love for Lochlin Flu Fighter by sponsoring a person or family in need to receive their Flu Vaccine this year!
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Contrary to what most people think the flu vaccine is NOT free. If you do not have health insurance the flu vaccine can cost between $45 - $85 per vaccine at your local pharmacy. For many that could be the difference of putting food on the table for that week. Which is why we work hard to assure no one has to decide between getting vaccinated or providing for their family. Which is why everything at our wellness clinics is free! ​
See below how you can become a Love for Lochlin Flu Fighter today and help us win this fight against the flu!
2021 Paul Harris Fellow Award Winner
Helping The Community
The Paul Harris award is the Rotary Club’s highest honor, given only to members of the community who truly exemplify leadership through service. Candidates for this award will have demonstrated their goodwill through genuine deeds and actions by going above and beyond the call of duty.
2021 All Star Do-Gooder Award Winner
For Serving The Community
Awarded to those who have provided countless volunteer hours for numerous causes and groups within our community and whose tireless efforts help these causes provide for others. They give back to their local community without compensation and help to improve lives.
Want to have a L4L Wellness clinic at your location?
Fill out a request form below!
We strongly believe that winning the battle against infectious disease is through prevention! If you would like us to come out to your location in Frederick County, MD to provide resources that help prevent the spread of infectious disease please let us know and we will set up a mobile wellness clinic at your location!
