My blogger-buddy, Elise, has a beautiful little girl who has an ugly disease called Cystic Fibrosis. This little three year old and her family have endured more than most of us will ever have to face in our lifetime. This is a daily struggle for them - hours and hours of treatments and thousands upon thousands of dollars is what it takes to keep their daughter alive and thriving.
It's time for The Great Strides walk. And it's time to ask you once again to dig into your pockets and find a dollar, two or maybe five or ten to donate to help raise funds to find a cure - to find the magic bullet that will help Addie live her life to the fullest and to the longest length she can.
A cure. Wouldn't that be amazing?
If it were your child....or your best friend's child....or your niece, nephew or grandchild....you'd give, right? Well - I believe that we are all responsible for the children in the world. We all have the responsibility...the obligation, if you will... to help keep them safe and healthy. So in a way, Addie IS your child. So give. Even if it's only a dollar, give. We all know how fast dollars can add up.
Just.........give.
Please.
Here is the email that Elise sent out:
Dear Friends,
My mom and I were talking yesterday about how the shock of Cystic Fibrosis ---that initial jolt of sorrow has worn off. Addie is now three and a half. Her lungs, her body, her spirit is as healthy and vibrant as one can be. The sorrow of 'disease' is still present, everyday, but it is something we've come to live with, like an unfriendly neighbor, or drafty house. We are always living CF, but more so - we are living Addie.
For those of you who aren't surrounded by Addie's love everyday, let me tell you a little about her. She is spirited, naughty, curious, intelligent, determined, and kind. Addie can ride her tricycle faster than any toddler around, and can turn a corner like nobody's business. She loves animals, especially her dog Buddy. She isn't afraid of snakes or bugs and will carry around a gopher snake or stink bug as comfortably as a bunny. Addie loves hiking and riding bikes. She knows the names of all the wild flowers and plants in Southern California and can distinguish "Cowboy Cologne" from wild anise. She loves California poppies like her mama, and has shoved various forms of Mexican sage and lavender up her nose, and has munched on dandelions and marigolds. Don't worry, Poison Control assures me they are safe.
Addie has three best friends, Makaela, Bowie and Mingus. She loves them so much, I could never imagine leaving Southern California because of these heartfelt, fledgling friendships. Addie is challenging and tests us on every level. She can run faster, think quicker and love harder than anyone I've ever known. I cannot express to anyone how much Scott and I love this kiddo. She is magic, she is life, she is love.
Living with Cystic Fibrosis is a challenge, and keeping her healthy is a
full-time job. Addie has three hours of respiratory therapy everyday. She takes a ton of medications and supplements and we have over nine pharmacies, five doctors, nutritionists, social workers, nurse care managers, and respiratory therapists, to keep our baby alive and our world in order.
Cystic Fibrosis does not discriminate. It is the number one genetic killer of children in the US. As hard as we try, as compliant as we are, sometimes it doesn't matter. The median age of survival is 37, but more than 60% of kids with CF won't make it to adulthood. This last week, we lost an eight year old to this disease. It isn't fair. And we are NOT going to let this happen to our baby.
Scott and I try to live positively. We focus on Addie's health and her
long life. But to do that, we also have to invest in her cure and therapies. I
know we will find a cure in Addie's lifetime, but we have to raise money to make it possible. Drug companies and the government will not invest in CF, because it isn't profitable -- only 30,000 Americans suffer from this disease. So it is up to us and only us to give our kids a long life, to keep our babies out of the hospital and in our arms as long as possible.
I know times are tough. I know there a million deserving charities. But please give what you can. Five bucks brings us closer to the cure. We appreciate any amount.
And after you give, send this email to your friends and family. Tell them how incredibly special Addie is and how we need her in this world because Scott and I cannot, will not, imagine a world without our Adelaide. Thank you.
To make a donation or join our walk team, please visit our Great Strides Website: http://www.cff.org/Great_Strides/EliseFree
You can also watch our youtube video at:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NHN1sWThEtA
Thank you as always. We’re all in this together and will find the cure
soon!!!
Love,
Elise, Scott and Adelaide Free
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