HANOVER COUNTY, Va. - Annabelle Bishop looks like a typical three-year-old; full of life and energy. But behind the laughter this little girl is going through things most will never experience.
Annabelle is battling a rare disease called Eosinophilic Esophagitis, which is one of her many diagnoses.
Because of the illness, the three-year-old is forced to eat through a feed tube daily.
"The best way to survive and live with the disease is to identify what is setting it off," said Ashley Bishop, Annabelle's mother.
Jeffrey Tomlin, president of The Guilty Ones Motorcycle Club, got word of Annabelle's situation.
The group chose Annabelle as the recipient of their annual "Impact a Child" charity event to help the family.
"There's not another word but humbling," said Ashley.
However, because of the recent incident with the bikers in Waco, Texas, The Guilty Ones were turned down for the fundraiser by several venues.
"All you see is the bad stuff in the motorcycle world, and we're just here to shine light on what bikers do," said Tomlin.
Rodney Pavey, the Administrative Pastor at Life Church in Mechanicsville heard about the situation and offered to open their doors to have the fundraiser for the group and Annabelle.
"They may be from different backgrounds than we are but certainly they have a heart to make a difference in their community as well," said Pavey.
The money raised will help Annabelle and her family on their trip to see doctors at a hospital in Cincinnati.
And while the family is hopeful for answers, Annabelle's family is also grateful for the group of people they have met who will now be part of their lives forever.
The fundraiser will be Saturday, June 27, at Life Church at 8368 Atlee Rd. in Mechanicsville.
It will be from 12 p.m. - 5 p.m.
Annabelle and her family plan to leave for Ohio on Sunday.
