Help David raise money

Dear family, friends, and colleagues,

I hope this email finds everyone in good health! It looks like we have turned a corner, vaccines are widely available, masks are no longer mandated, and everything is back open. Yes! 

Team Claire is back at it again this year, although way behind the 8-ball on fundraising.   After a recommended sleep study, we discovered Claire had severe sleep apnea, and needed to have her lingual tonsils out.  Her regular tonsils and adenoids were removed a couple years ago.  She had a successful surgery last week and has one more week of recovery which means soft foods and limited strenuous activity and exercise.   We're grateful everything went well and she's feeling great!  Now that surgery is in the rearview mirror it is time to focus on some fundraising and secure the best future for Claire and others. 

This will be the 10th straight year Robyn and I are running on Team MDSC in the Falmouth Road Race to raise awareness and critical funds for a great organization and mission.  Andrew (13) and Eleanor (almost 12) will also be running again this year.  The race will be back in Falmouth (not virtual), so Eleanor will get to experience all the craziness of race day for the first time.

Team MDSC is about supporting and believing in the full potential of people with Down syndrome and other intellectual disabilities.  We are working together to raise important funds that enable the MDSC to support new and expectant families, educate health care professionals about Down syndrome and how to deliver a diagnosis, provide social and leadership development for teens and young adults with Down syndrome, equip educators with best practices and resources, and create and influence legislation affecting people with Down syndrome and other disabilities on the local and national level.  The MDSC’s influence does not stop at the Massachusetts border or only help people with Down Syndrome, their work benefits all people with intellectual disabilities, everywhere.  In short, we are building a supportive and inclusive community.

As for our Claire, she turned 10 this year.  She is going into 5th grade and loves swimming, singing, and movies/tv most of all.  We are still working on her speech, as she can still be hard to understand, which can be frustrating for everyone, but it also inhibits her learning.  She got a new hearing aid device this past winter, which helps her to hear higher and lower pitch sounds and seems to be helping.   She is still shining brighter than any star, loving life, and working through each challenge with smiles and belly laughs.

We have been truly blessed over the years to have your support.  Together we have raised over $50,000 and helped develop the Down syndrome community as we know it today and improve the lives of people with disabilities everywhere. In addition to the financial support, I want to thank you all for being accepting and welcoming to all people.  Thank You!! 

Please consider supporting this great cause!!   

Dave, Robyn, Andrew, Eleanor, & Claire