This morning I took Mica to her 45 minute playschool class and took off on a run. I raced down a local 1 mile hill then ran straight back up. It was a pretty steep hill so I felt a real sense of accomplishment as I jogged back to pick up Mica! I also wrote a letter for my fundraiser today to snail mail out to my contacts who are not online. Yes these people exist! No it's not my Nani, who is online all the time and plays casino games daily! Here is the letter, although I have raised my goal amount of $3000, I am still pushing to raise as much as possible in the next couple of weeks as I count down to my first fundraising race at Long Beach...
"Dear Friend or Family member,
As you probably know I was born with NF2, a genetic disease that causes tumors to grow throughout my brain and spine. The disease has left me deaf… I can no longer sit around a table and talk with my family… I have not heard music in 5 years, my head is filled with ringing and silence… I have never heard either of my children laugh…
NF2 has also put me through several difficult and painful surgeries. Worse, it has taken my Grandma Norma, Uncle Eric and Mom from me all at unbearably young ages. Even my son JT suffers from the disease already, he was born blind in his right eye. The only way to give JT and me a healthy future is to support research into drug therapies to stop the tumor growth associated with this horrible genetic disease.
Often times when family is afflicted with a painful disease we don't know what to do. We want to help, but don't know how.
As you probably know I was born with NF2, a genetic disease that causes tumors to grow throughout my brain and spine. The disease has left me deaf… I can no longer sit around a table and talk with my family… I have not heard music in 5 years, my head is filled with ringing and silence… I have never heard either of my children laugh…
NF2 has also put me through several difficult and painful surgeries. Worse, it has taken my Grandma Norma, Uncle Eric and Mom from me all at unbearably young ages. Even my son JT suffers from the disease already, he was born blind in his right eye. The only way to give JT and me a healthy future is to support research into drug therapies to stop the tumor growth associated with this horrible genetic disease.
Often times when family is afflicted with a painful disease we don't know what to do. We want to help, but don't know how.
The Children's Tumor Foundation is a great cause which focuses on finding a cure for NF2. We are very close to finding a drug therapy that can extend my life and give us true hope for a healthy future.
The NF Marathon Team is one of the tools the CTF employs to raise money. There are hundreds of runners participating in races all over the country. There are people with NF as well as family and friends on our team. I have been training and running for the past 6 months in preparation for the Long Beach marathon on October 11th, I will run 13.1 miles for a cure! I am asking you now to join me by donating in my name to CTF. Every little bit helps, and JT and I are forever grateful to all our friends and family who join us in our fight. Donating is easy, just write a check to "Children's Tumor Foundation" and return it with the attached slip in the pre-paid envelope!
Thank you all so much for your support, you can follow my progress as I run for NF2 at http://www.fabulousrunningmommy.blogspot.com/.
Love to All,
Olivia Hernandez and Family"
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