When Kate found out that I was going to try to help her (in my own little way) try to fundraise, she asked if adding some context to the story would help. I told her that if she felt comfortable doing so, explaining why this story is so personal could only help.
The following is what she sent me:
The joke in my family is that my Uncle Jay, despite his mere 46 years, is actually 97 years old in cystic fibrosis (CF) years. That is, my uncle has outlived his own life expectancy (13 years at the time he was born) and has outlived the life expectancy of a child born today with CF (32 years). While the joke helps us make light of this genetic disorder my family carries, it also understates the struggle my uncle faces with a disease that will ultimately claim his life. This same disease took the life of his older brother Johnny, who never made it past 13 and who never benefited from the progress made by Cystic Fibrosis Foundation (CFF) and the CF community. This summer, I witnessed this progress first-hand. After a culture of Jay's lung fluid came back positive for a nearly always fatal bacteria, Jay immediately began an aersolized lung antibiotic. This innovative $4000/month treatment wasn't available 5 years ago, which would have subjected Jay to a most uncertain future. Today, he is healthy and continues to defy the odds. Although to me he may be Superman, without the CFF and the funds raised through Great Strides, he might have been another uncle I never knew. I am grateful for all the support and hope that you can help me Add Tomorrows Every Day!
Please go here to make your donation. And remember that if you mention my name in the comments, you will receive a drawing entry for every five dollars you donate.
The prize is the winner's CHOICE of EITHER a $20 Visa Gift Card OR a $20 KnitPicks gift card, so as to include non-knitters in the fun.
No comments:
Post a Comment