Sandman Triathlon 2010 - One for Wyatt
Well, we've had a great summer so far! Wyatt is doing great and having a lot of fun! Summertime is good for us - no doctor visits which allows us all to have a little break. I know my stress level is much lower when I am not waiting on test results. Wyatt's stress level is much lower when he doesn't have to worry about being poked with needles. We love all of his doctors but we don't miss them! In fact, we are quite happy to not see them at all.
I have been reading a lot about new FA research. We received Wyatt's diagnosis in August of 2007. And I have to admit, when I began to educate myself about the disease, I was not very optimistic for Wyatt's future. It is such a rare disease with such devasting complications that I just could not imagine that the research could move fast enough to make a difference in Wyatt's life. The doctors explained to me that if he survived the bone marrow transplant, he might have a few years before he developed other complications. The complications being cancers that we cannot treat with typical cancer treatments. They explained to me that if we were lucky, he might not develop those cancers until he was a teenager. As result of this knowledge, I always have a clock ticking in my brain. And every July, I spend a lot of time thinking that he is getting one year closer to being a teenager. And while I suspect that every parent has these types of thoughts, of wanting to freeze time; I struggle with the happiness of seeing him grow up and the anxiety of knowing that this growth is taking him just a little bit closer to his next challenge.
Over the past year I have allowed myself to be a little more hopeful for Wyatt's future. I have been humbled by the generosity of our friends and family. And I have been reading about the new research that has been developing much faster than I thought possible. This research has been funded by your generous donations. The July Donor newsletter published by The Fanconi Anemia Research Fund reported on collaboration between the FA Research Fund and the National Institutes of Health. The newsletter stated that, "Generous private donations to the Fund of $650,000 led to this monumental NIH grant of $10.7 million." Your donations are working! We are raising both dollars and awareness of this awful disease.
So I am cautiously optimistic that we might actually see some medical advancements in time to make a difference for Wyatt. And I am confident that our efforts to raise money and awareness can keep this momentum going. The research renews my spirits and reminds me that every dollar counts. The new research reminds me that our fundraising efforts are important, critical for Wyatt.
So, now is the time when I ask you to help us again this year. Our team is training for the Sandman Triathlon - our annual Fanconi Anemia fundraiser. We have a team of 8 racers so far. And we have set some lofty fundraising goals this year. I hope that if you are able, you will consider sponsoring our team of racers and help us raise money for a cure!
