Dear Friends and Family,
On November 9th, I will be running the Santa Barbara International Half Marathon, my first half marathon! I am running on behalf of the Gwendolyn Strong Foundation to raise awareness and money to help put an end to Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA). Last year I ran as part of a relay team and I raised $1095. This year I am challenging myself to run farther and raise more money to help put an end to this brutal disease that my dear friends, Bill and Victoria Strong’s daughter, Gwendolyn, suffers from.
SMA is the #1 genetic killer of Infants. Most babies do not survive past the age of two. Gwendolyn has been the exception and is still struggling with this debilitating disease. She is six-years-old and cannot walk, sit-up, speak or even swallow. She eats via a feeding tube and breathes with the assistance of a machine. What this disease does not hinder is her cognitive ability or her playful spirit. Gwendolyn attends 1st grade at a local elementary school and loves to be surrounded by her classmates, doing everything all the others are doing and also showing how independent and special she is. Gwendolyn is my daughter’s friend, her playmate. They play dress-up, watch movies, have tea parties and sing together. The fact that Gwendolyn has to do all of this while attached to machines is not fair. No child should have to go through this.
Throughout all of this, Bill and Victoria are the most positive and inspirational couple I have ever met. I am so proud of them and what they are doing in creating the Gwendolyn Strong Foundation to save their daughter and every other person out there that is battling SMA.
Throughout all of this, Bill and Victoria are the most positive and inspirational couple I have ever met. I am so proud of them and what they are doing in creating the Gwendolyn Strong Foundation to save their daughter and every other person out there that is battling SMA.
I am running so that one day sweet Gwendolyn can too! You can help me by donating online through this website. No donation is too small, every dollar counts, ($5 or $10 would mean so much to me)!
Sincerely,
Ronda Fallon
 |
| I am running so that one day Gwendolyn can run freely with her friends! |
 |
| We are all in this together! |
 |
| Team GSF practice race |
 |
| Team GSF Fallon Family |
 |
| We will NEVER GIVE UP, Gwendolyn! |
No comments:
Post a Comment