In Support of The Givehand Family

Hello, family, friends, students, and teachers who know and love Kiala & Damon Givehand! Thank you for visiting this page and considering support for Damon and Kiala as they navigate a very difficult and uncertain time in their lives. With Kiala's permission, this campaign page is being spearheaded by Tiffany Smith with support from Ebonee Lumpkin. 

The Givehand's need our support now more than ever.

The Givehand family is facing a tough time right now as Damon is currently (as of Sunday August 2, 2026) in the hospital fighting for his life and, of course, Kiala is by his side.

On Tuesday July 28th Kiala took Damon to the ER because several little things were not adding up with his behavior and his personality. Damon has been dealing with a mass on his neck for about 18 months and has worked with lots of doctors and had several different diagnosis, protocols, treatments, etc. But up until July 28th he had not said he was in pain or had symptoms that anyone saw as ER urgent.

At the ER they ran lots of tests and found his sodium levels to be dangerously low (so low that they were surprised he had not had a seizure). This was cause for them to admit him to ICU. From there a long list of tests, doctor consults, questions, forms, conversations, medications, and possible causes have been given.

Doctors found more concerns. His liver enzymes are higher than normal, his blood sugar is lower than safe levels, and they determined he has a special kind of pneumonia caused by liquids in his lungs. And just today, August 2nd, the neurologist, after reviewing the results of a 3AM MRI, believes Damon has had a minor stroke that is impacting his ability to speak and communicate. The hospital team is watching him closely and have moved him to PCU (Progressive Care Unit). They continue to check his blood sugar and turn him every two hours. Every four hours, he gets a treatment to help his lungs. Every six hours he has blood work done and tested.

Kiala is managing the best she can, but because Damon cannot speak for himself (the mass has pressed into his vocal chords and now maybe this stroke has impacted him) she has been at the hospital almost 24 hours a day since Damon was admitted and will continue to do so until he comes home. She is his voice right now.

She does have family and friends in Pensacola who are supporting her as best they can with bringing food, relieving her for a few hours so she can go home, shower, and take care of herself. Some family members are also helping Kiala support her 82 year old mom who lives with she and Damon. And, Kiala is using the HOURS of sitting in a hospital room to do some slow stitching, reading, writing, and studying. She's keeping her mind busy with the things she loves (like recording voice content and computer work for her many communities) so that she can be clear headed when decisions need to be made. She says this is how she practices self-care during this time -- staying connected to her community.

Because Kiala and Damon run their own business and for the last 14 months Kiala has been the sole bread winner of the business, there is concern that her supporting Damon while he's in the hospital will not be sustainable much longer because the bills don't stop coming when a loved one falls ill. This fund is to allow them some financial breathing room to focus on health, wellness, and the journey ahead. If you can support them, even if it's just a little token to show your love and appreciation for who they are in the world, please do it.

Kiala has been giving updates inside of her community but doesn't want to continue putting updates there. Instead, Tiffany, Ebonee, and sometimes Kiala, will provide updates here to those who want them. So be sure to follow for updates on how Damon is doing, how Kiala is navigating it, and how you can continue to support them from afar. 

8/3/26- 
I want to keep this respectful of their privacy, so I won't go into the exact details, but we received some heavy news today and the reality of the situation is overwhelming.

The road to recovery is going to be much longer and more intense than we initially hoped. He will be in the hospital for at least another week to undergo several major procedures. After that, they are looking at 8+ weeks of intensive treatments and a multi-month recovery process. Please continue to send prayers, love and light. 

In the meantime, here's how you can help: