Six Degrees of Separation, Well Maybe Twelve

Last week I wrote about Parade Magazine’s America’s GivingChallenge. My friend and colleague, Peggy Padden. Two of her three sonshave been diagnosed with Fanconi Anemia (Jake died in 2003 from it).
Have you heard about Kevin Bacon’s six degrees site?http://www.sixdegrees.org/. It is a major sponsor of this contest. And you know the idea, everyone is connected by 6 degrees of separation.
Peggy and I are. My daughter went to a wedding a couple of years back in Seattle. I knew that Peggy was going to a wedding at the same time in Seattle. She had just lost her son Jake, and social outings were very difficult. Well, Charlotte, my daughter, calls and tells me she saw Peggy at the wedding. I couldn’t believe it. It turned out that a cousin on Charlotte’s husband side married a cousin from Peggy’s husband’s side of the family. See six degrees of separation…(well, actually probably 12degrees).
So…I am hoping that you will donate to the cause, keep the Faconi Anemia Research Fund at in the top four. Please be sure to select the charity badge and donate through the badge.Here is the site: http://www.parade.com/givingchallenge?source=pressAGC.
I find it interesting that the two top charities are about saving animals. I totally believe that animals should be taken care of and rescued and save. I also believe that no parent should ever be forced to join the “I lost a child club” and hopefully, through research, a cure will be found for Fanconi Anemia. Please consider donating.

Paying It Forward

Here are two great ways to “pay it forward”. I hope you might be able to help both.




America’s Giving Challenge by Parade Magazine:
I posted about my friend and colleague Peggy Padden about a year ago. She is on my hero list. She lost one of her three sons’ to Fanconi Anemia and her youngest has the disease. She is active in creating opportunities to raise money for research.
Just this last week she sent an email:
“As many of you know, in 2003, 2 of my 3 sons were diagnosed with Fanconi anemia, a life threatening genetic disease that leads to bone marrow failure and cancers. My son Jake, 21 at the time, tragically passed away 8 mo. after being diagnosed. My youngest son Spencer, now 20 is stable and doing well as a sophomore at University of Oregon. It is just a matter of time before the disease manifests itself in him as well.You may have seen an ad in Parade Magazine Sunday about America’s Giving Challenge. $50,000 will be given out to each of 4 U.S. based charity groups that get the most online donations by Jan. 31st. Not the most MONEY, but the most individual donations! Each person can only donate once.
Guess what? The Fanconi Research Fund has made it to the top 4. Let’s keep it that way and make it to number 1. Please consider going to the site and making a donation. It is the number of individual donations not the amount.


Books of Love:
Nina was three when she lost her struggle to Fanconi. She spent many days in the hospital and yet children’s books were hard to find. Nina loved reading. Therefore, Megan Spears, a family friend, decided last fall to do something. She started a book drive, “Books of Love” in memory of Nina. The goal is to collect and donate 500 books to Child Life Department at Doernbecher Hospital.

Books can be sent to:
Books of Love; c/o Megan Spears; 40335 McCormick Court; Sandy, Oregon 97055
I hope you are able to either send a book, make a donation or both.

Fanconi Anemia, One of My Heroes, and Valentine's Day

A mother, three sons

Fanconi Anemia

Mother of two now

This is my friend and colleague, Peggy. Her eldest son, Jake, was away at college when he went to the doctor about a cold that he couldn't shake. Blood taken, tests run, and a life altering diagnosis given. Jake had Fanconi Amenia, a genetic disease of the blood. He would need a bone marrow transplant.

First stop, the sibling brothers. And an answer to prayers. Her youngest son, Spencer, was a perfect match. And then, the sky fell again. Further testing revealed that Spencer also had Fanconi Anemia. (Spencer is currently attends college and so far he is stabilized with the disease).

The months ahead were a roller coaster ride no family should have to take. A bone marrow donor was eventually found. Jake received the transplant but complications ensued. Jake passed from this world in November 2003.

Peggy is one of my heroes. Her dedication and commitment to finding a cure for FA is inspiring. The first spring without Jake, Peggy organized an benefit dinner and auction. It raised well over a hundred thousand dollars.

And then another idea came to her. Jake loved to run and why not create a running event in his memory. Thus the Valentine's Day 5K was born in 2005. It happens the Sunday before Valentine's Day. The run is growing up. This year, Peggy garnered major sponsors for the run. And this year the donations grew by a third from last year. Early totals show that over $31,000 was raised for research.

Valentine's Day was yesterday. Many of our staff wore the red shirts from this year's run in honor of Peggy and all her hard work.

For further information, here are some websites to check out:

http://www.fanconi.org/

http://www.valentine5k.com/