October 17th

October 17th is going to be a very busy day.  In addition to being CC's birthday(!), it is the day of the Liz Hurley Ribbon Run and Chloe's Carnival for a Cure.  And with those 2 events, you have the opportunity to participate in and donate to some really great causes.

Did you know October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month?  Liz Hurley is a local news anchor and breast cancer survivor who started the Ribbon Run to create breast cancer awareness and to raise money for the purchasing of  breast cancer diagnostic equipment for the local hospitals.  Equipment which my grandmother recently used.  In a span of less than 4 weeks Grandma found a lump, was diagnosed with breast cancer and had a mastectomy.  4 weeks! 

Before we even found out about Grandma, CC created a fundraising group for the Ribbon Run called The BooBees.  The BooBees are going to be walking the 5K course and we would love to have a crowd walking with us.  For more information, go to http://www.lizhurleyribbonrun.org/ or if you would like to donate to The BooBees fundraising efforts, go to http://www.lizhurleyribbonrun.org/faf/search/searchTeamPart.asp?ievent=320416&team=3556107. 

And later that same day, you can join another great cause at Chloe's Carnival.  Chloe has Spinal Muscular Atrophy Type 1 (SMA).  SMA is a motor neuron disease affecting 1 in 6000 babies.  Type 1 is the most extreme and most children with SMA Type 1 die before their 2nd birthday.  The fact that Chloe just turned 3 shows you what an amazing fighter she is and how dedicated her parents, Jenny and Joe, are. 

We actually first met Jenny and Joe in an infant CPR class when Tater was being discharged from the NICU and Chloe was beginning her SMA struggle.  We then met them again right after Tater got his trach and the PICU nurses brought our families together.  Chloe has a trach, is on a ventilator 24/7, uses much of the same equipment Tater does and shares the same home health nurse Tater has.  Jenny is the one person I know in real life who gets what I go through. 

Unfortunately in return, I do not know what Jenny goes through.  She lives each day in the absolute fullest because she knows her life with Chloe is going to be much too short.  But you will never meet a more upbeat or more positive person than Jenny.  I have never heard her complain.  She has more energy than is humanly possible and she makes sure Princess Chloe-Bug has the most fun a 3 year-old can have. 

Jenny KNOWS a cure for SMA will be found.  And she is doing her best to help find that cure and spread awareness for SMA.  She has a great network of friends and family who are helping her in her quest and they are having the Carnival in order to raise SMA awareness and to raise money for the Families of SMA (FSMA).  FSMA is accepting donations on Chloe's Carnival site:  http://www.fsma.org/index.cfm?id=4325&eventRedirect=1.

Please consider joining the fun and donating to either of these causes.  Even if you aren't able to donate, please send your thoughts and prayers to those who are dealing with these horrible diseases.  Breast cancer and SMA are taking too many lives and spreading awareness about them just may bring us closer to curing them.