Hello and welcome to my blog. I am Charley’s mom. Every few days I will write in this journal to give you the most up-to-date information about Charley’s Fund. I will report on fundraising, research projects, and news about Charley.
This first entry is not about Charley, however. It is about the people who have made Charley’s Fund a reality: our supporters. We are incredibly grateful to the many friends and family members who have given so generously to get Charley’s Fund off to a very strong start. Many people have given whatever they could — financially and otherwise — to help us get the foundation going as fast as possible. They know that we are racing against the clock, and they did not hesitate to write very large checks, to stuff envelopes all night long, to lend their expertise with editing or web design or legalese. Thank you to everyone who pitched in right from the start.
Thanks to your help, in just six months we have raised almost half a million dollars. This is a fantastic accomplishment, but we have no time to rest. This year we are aiming to raise $800,000 to fund some very exciting research that could have a major impact on Charley’s prognosis. Helping us reach this goal is even easier now that we accept on-line payments. Just click on Donate and you can use a credit card to make a contribution.
Please remember that every little bit does help. If you are skeptical, take the case of a thirteen year old girl named Sam Kaplan, who recently proved that old saying to be true. A month before her bat-mitzvah, Sam sent a letter to all of her invitees telling them about Charley and asking them to donate $10 to Charley’s Fund. So far, Sam has raised close to $5,000…and the checks are still coming in.
The past six months have brought other heart-warming stories. Long-lost college friends became Founding Supporters of Charley’s Fund without a moment’s hesitation. A few of Sammy’s kindergarten classmates emptied their piggy banks and donated the contents “to help Sammy’s brother get better” (in the words of one six-year-old girl). Charley’s older cousins and several of my former students raised hundreds of dollars selling lollipops and bracelets.
These are just a few anecdotes that represent how giving people have been since they heard about Charley’s diagnosis. We are indescribably grateful to everyone who has contributed time, money, or expertise to our grass-roots effort to fund a cure for Duchenne.
We hope you will check this blog regularly to follow the news about Charley and the Fund. We believe that we can push this research along to benefit Charley and other young boys who are afflicted with DMD. Thank you for your help.