Thanks to the generous support of friends and family, we began our journey to Camp Korey Friday evening!! We continue to need your help, if you can. See the end of this post for further information.
Thankfully, Madison's reaction to the anesthesia on Wednesday came under control; all the packing and running around to collect supplies happened; and all the phone calls to ensure everything was in place on the other end of this journey were made. We were off to the airport and ready to be in Seattle!!
Mother Nature had a few plans of her own, and our flight to Seattle took a detour. From a planned stop in Albuquerque, to Lubbock, TX for refueling, and back to Albuquerque where we then had to wait for a new crew before heading on to our destination. We were scheduled to arrive in Seattle at 10:00pm Friday, but didn't actually arrive until 3:00am Saturday!! Twelve hours from arriving at the airport in Dallas, to leaving the airport in Seattle, made for a long, long night.....as evidenced by our leaving a bag at the McDonald's in the terminal and not realizing till we were loading our shuttle to the hotel!! Not just any bag, but our medical bag....the one with every single important thing we needed for this trip!! After a mad dash back to where it was left (with a stop at the ticket counter for a pass to get past security, and the loss of a water bottle at security), Michael was able to reassure the security person just beginning to examine the bag, that it really was ours and we needed it, badly!!
Thankfully, all survived the adventure, and gratefully we had a day to rest before anyone was due at Camp. We needed it!!!
Sunday could not get here fast enough for Chance & Madison!! Especially Chance, who both returned to his beloved Camp Korey, but also turned 20 years old!!!
It was, as always, amazing to drive up to the front of Camp Korey....to see the place we love so much. It only got better as we made our way to volunteer check in and started seeing the people we love so much. Chance and Madison could not have been happier than they were in that moment.
Abby enjoyed some time in the "only child" status that evening, and then was more than ready to get there on Monday. Arriving to cheers, and seeing the faces of the people you have not seen for a year, makes all smile pretty big. Spending the afternoon waiting to get Abby checked in was an opportunity to drink Camp Korey in again. To sit and look out over the fields, take in the beauty that is this special place, and to spend time reconnecting with old friends, and making new ones.
The afternoon ended with meeting the nurse and counselor that are assigned to Abby. We went over all her medical paperwork, and chatted about my girl, and as we were wrapping things up, Abby's nurse shared the most amazing thing....She shared that she is there this year because of our family!! I wasn't quite sure what she meant, so she went on to explain that a friend of hers, a fellow nurse who has volunteered at Camp Korey before (and whom we adore), had been asking her to volunteer for a couple of years. Last year this friend shared our blog with her, and it convinced her she needed to be a part of this years Mito Week!!! Not only is she there, but she even got one of the McNair kids to love on and take care of!! How awesome and amazing is that!!
I cannot even begin to express how much this meant to me to hear.
Each year we wonder how our time at Camp Korey could possibly be as good as the previous year....and each year it just gets better and better. This year has already proven to be no exception!!
In part because of what happened Tuesday evening.
Michael and I were asked to attend a "friend-raiser" for Camp Korey, and to share our story. It happened at an amazing historic home on top of Queen Anne Hill, and was attended by some incredible people here in Seattle....people we hope will become a part of the Camp Korey family. I shared our story, and how profoundly Camp Korey has touched our lives, and was reminded how difficult it is to find the words to convey how life changing this week in the summer has been for my children....for our family. I did my best, and it seemed to have been well received. It was SUCH an honor to have this chance to give back, just a little, to this place we love so much. I hope we have a chance to do even more in the future!!
We have received a random text here and there from Chance & Madi, and there were pictures posted on Facebook of what appeared to be another totally messy food fight today!! Promise to share pictures when we get home!! We cannot wait to see them all on Friday and hear all about their week!!!
We still need your help to make this life changing time possible. We are about $575 from our goal amount, and desperately need to raise this money if at all possible. I am extending the fundraising time, and I am so sorry to have to continue asking. We are so incredibly grateful for the amazing support so many have already shown. Any amount is helpful, and it adds up quickly.
Donations can be made at www.youcaring.com/mccampfund or by clicking the link at the top right of this blog. If you prefer to send us the donation directly, please contact me at kass@swbell.net and I will get our address to you.
Again, thank you. More updates to come!!!
Showing posts with label Giving. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Giving. Show all posts
Thursday, August 1, 2013
Saturday, April 6, 2013
WC Day 6: Walk for Wishes
9 years ago, my then 11 year old son spent a great deal of
time thinking of ways that we could support Make A Wish. Each time we would go
to visit the office, he would head straight for Berta’s office and begin
sharing his ideas on ways to raise money for this organization that our family
loves so much. Some were wild…..just ask Berta…..but others were pretty awesome
and had some promise. Berta was a
SAINT for sitting and listening to my boy ramble on, and Michael and I love her
for always giving the kids this time to share their ideas and thoughts.
On a particular occasion in 2005, my boy shared that he
thought Make A Wish needed to have a walk of their own, not knowing it was
something they had already started planning for the following year!! Erin,
another precious part of our Make A Wish family, asked Chance to help plan it,
and ultimately they chose my boy to be their first Wish Child Ambassador for
the event!! I could not have been more proud watching my son speak publicly for
the first time in front of hundreds of people the day of the walk. I am not
sure there are many things he is more proud of either. It was an awesome day,
and we continue to look forward to the walk each year.
We had a lovely morning supporting Make A Wish!!
Seeing friends....
Walking with friends....
And celebrating our Wish Kids!!!
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| Wish Kids 2013 |
We were reminded, yet again, how blessed we are to have these people as family.
Monday, September 24, 2012
Stay Calm and Ride On...Abby's Army needs YOU!!
On Saturday, October 6th, Abby will be riding in the WISH100 again!!
She is riding the 10 mile course, but unlike past years, her dad isn't going to be able to do this with her as he is still not released to ride since the accident. With this in mind, it would mean the WORLD to McNair and I if you would consider riding with her.
Would be so awesome to see a whole team wearing pink camo bandana's as part of Abby's Army, supporting her as we all give back to an organization that means so very much to us
Cannot make the ride, please consider donating to the cause in her name!! Please share this with everyone for us!! Thank you....we love you!!
Friday, September 30, 2011
Wrapping up….Mito Fact A Day: Day 15-30
As sometimes happens, my direction this month changed a bit as it progressed, and at some point I got away from doing my “Fact A Day” on Facebook. However, having already compiled the list, it made sense to finish this month with the rest of them.
15. When Mitochondrial Disease comes into your life, everything changes.
16. Mitochondrial Disease is often an “invisible disease”.
-Good Day: Patients look fine & healthy. They have more energy and appear rested.
-Bad Day: Patients appear tired to significantly ill.
Repeated “bad days” often leads to decompensation & difficulty returning to baseline. ~mitoaction.org
17. Mitochondrial Disease is unpredictable. Day to day, hour to hour patients can develop symptoms and their stability can be threatened. ~mitoaction.org
18. The first case of mitochondrial disease was diagnosed in an adult in the 1960s and in the pediatric population in the 1980s. ~gmdaw.org
19. Recent research results indicate that mitochondrial dysfunction is a large factor in degenerative disorders of aging like Diabetes, heart disease, Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s.
20. Mitochondrial Disease is nearly as common as childhood cancer.
21. There is little federal or state funding to support Mitochondrial Disease.
22. Mitochondrial Disease is generally considered a progressive, degenerative disease.
23. The mortality rate can be as high as 50% per year for the most severe forms of the disease.
24. Simple things become monumental when you have Mito.
25. Medicine and machines become a regular part of daily life for many with Mito.
26. Many Mitochondrial Disease patients go undiagnosed and, as a result, the patients and their families suffer.
27. It is precisely the combination of “newness” and diagnostic difficulty that works against the recognition of Mitochondrial Disease and finding an effective cure.
28. Every day is a marathon for the body of an individual with Mito.
29. The consequences of Mitochondrial Disease can be devastating to those afflicted and their families.
30. There is no cure……yet.
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The WishGRANTed Page still needs your likes. Miss Delaney is SO close to reaching her goal of 10,000 likes for this month….please share the link and help make it happen. Just imagine, something as simple as liking this page means everyone on your friend list is made just a little more aware of this disease.
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Just received this in my email this morning…..
Please share!!!!!
Support UMDF on The Pittsburgh Foundation's "Day of Giving" on October 4, 2011
You can help the United Mitochondrial Disease Foundation raise valuable matching funds from
The Pittsburgh Foundation on Tuesday, October 4th when you make a credit card gift to UMDF through the www.pittsburghgives.org website.
The Pittsburgh Foundation has designated October 4th as a “Day of Giving” and for a 24-hour period will provide matching monies to gifts given through “PittsburghGives.” The website --
www.pittsburghgives.org -- was developed by The Pittsburgh Foundation to help donors learn about the mission, programs, leadership and financial information of some 400 nonprofits like UMDF.
Please remember that the matching period is Tuesday October 4, 2011 from
Midnight to 11:59:59 p.m.
You will have 24 hours to give! All credit card contributions on the “PittsburghGives” site during this period will receive a portion of the matching dollars.
All are welcome to make a gift; you do not have to be a Pittsburgh or Western Pennsylvania resident to participate. To help UMDF raise matching funds you must go to www.pittsburghgives.org www.pittsburghgives.org -- follow the directions, and make your credit card donation of
$25 or more to UMDF on that site.
Thank you for your continuing generosity.
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Thanks again for all that have helped us raise awareness this last month!!! We love you and appreciate your efforts more than you can know. Each action does make a difference!!!
Wednesday, May 18, 2011
The Sweetest Wish
Ten years ago a very special organization……no….a very special extended FAMILY…came into our lives. Looking back at how little my babies were back then, back at the beginning…..
and how far we have come….
I tear up a little.
It has been SUCH a blessing to have this group of people in our lives, to know that each year in May we will ALL be together again.
This year was incredible, and awesome, and amazing. And I’ll admit, I got teary eyed after Chance’s Candy Man performance as I told him how proud I was of him. He was amazing. He put it all out there and the crowd loved him!! And as I hugged my girls who both performed beautifully!!
There really are no words to accurately express how fantastic the night was, so I leave you with pictures……
Sunday, March 27, 2011
An Amazing Day In Words & Pictures
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| Race for Wishes 2011 Team Pink |
For so many reasons, I am incredibly proud of my children. The last few months though, as we made plans for this day, a day to honor Alexa, that pride has grown & grown. As they discussed ways to honor their friend that they miss so very much, their love for Alexa & the Aigner’s has shown so very brightly.
While I may have done much of the footwork involved, ALL that we did yesterday was their idea….their vision of honoring Alexa and giving back. And it was AWESOME!!
That bandanna on Abby’s wrist has been an ever present memorial to Alexa since before we lost her. It’s with Abby when she rides her bike for the Ride for Wishes in the fall and anytime she is doing something that requires strength.
The morning was beautiful….not too warm, not too cold with sunshine and a mild breeze. As we sat waiting for our Team to arrive, it was hard not to smile as I watched my kid’s in all their pinkness!!
We could not have been more excited to see the Aigner’s and share all the goodies we had for the Walk to make sure everyone knew who we were walking for…..
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| The Aigner's |
And we were SO excited to meet the newest addition to the family, Holly.
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| Little Zach & Holly |
While we may not have raised the most money, or had the biggest team, this group had some serious spirit going on!!!
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| Race for Wishes 2011 TEAM PINK |
Shortly after crossing the start line, we released our pretty pink balloons up to Alexa. We felt her very much there in spirit!!!Walking for Wishes….
Crossing the finish line was reason to celebrate!!!Celebrate indeed!!!
TEAM PINK 2011
It was something special to see Crys, Zach & Holly together….
And the reason for this morning, for this walk…..the Wish Kids….
Like last year, I needed a pic of my kiddo’s….
And our family pic for the morning…..just the way I like any picture of me, from the back….LOL
After a pit stop for lunch at Good2Go Taco, we were off to Trinity Hall Irish Pub for St. Baldrick’s!!!
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| St. Baldrick's 2011 |
Zach & Chance “before” shot…..
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| Chance & Zach St. Baldrick's 2011 |
Team Cancer Sucks/St. Baldrick’s bling….
We were so very blessed to have an awesome group with us throughout the day!!!
The cheers were deafening as our boys got on the stage to start the process…..And the shaving began….
Visions of the future….
We decided Chance looks like the monster from Young Frankenstein….LOL
But what they did to Chance, well, it WILL go down in history I am sure…..it was THAT good!!!
The hats made the look I think….
It was at the point that the boys were sent from the stage to raise $150 to have this awesome look not be permanent…..their friends love them and they had their cash in less than 5 minutes!!! I think the emcee was wishing she had said $300 at least!!! LOL
The end result was, as it was last year, AWESOME!!!
Team Cancer Sucks 2011
Thanks to all that helped make this day special!!!!
Thank you Aigner’s for giving us this chance to celebrate your little girl.
It was an amazing, incredible, awesome day!!!
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