I am both honored and thrilled to be running my 5th (and most likely final) Boston Marathon with both the Credit Unions (CU) Kids at Heart Team and multiple credit union sponsors including Common Trust Federal CU, HTM CU, Methuen Federal CU, Stoneham Municipal Employees Federal CU, and Tewksbury Federal CU.  Our team raises funds for Boston Children’s Hospital (BCH) pediatric neurological research efforts, one being the very rare, progressive brain disease that my son Jackson battles.

Here is an overview of Jackson's journey as both a stroke and Moyamoya disease warrior:

My son Jackson was 17 months old when he suffered a massive stroke to the right side of his brain, leaving him left side weakened.  We lived at BCH and Spaulding Rehabilitation Center for 48 days where Jackson underwent countless testing and rigorous physical, occupational and speech therapies.  Three months after his initial stroke, an additional MRI and Angiogram confirmed Jackson was suffering from a very rare brain condition called Moyamoya.  This disease causes the arteries that supply blood to the brain to thicken and narrow and, if left untreated, patients can suffer debilitating strokes.  We feel so fortunate and blessed to live so close to BCH where the surgery, pial synangiosis, was founded to treat children with Moyamoya.  Jackson underwent two successful brain surgeries to restore blood flow to his brain.  His yearly MRIs show that the new blood vessels continue to grow from his new scalp artery, bringing more blood to his brain.  Today, Jackson is in 8th grade living a healthy and happy life, which is the mission of the CU Kids at Heart Team.  Jackson still works with occupational therapists to strengthen his left hand and arm, but ultimately he has surpassed all expectations of his doctors.

It has been a privilege to be part of the CU Kids at Heart Team that was founded by my dear friend Jane Melchionda back in 1996.  To date, our team has raised 10 MILLION DOLLARS for various research efforts at BCH, including cerebral palsy, pediatric epilepsy and other seizure disorders, pediatric brain cancer and Moyamoya disease.  Over the past 12 years, our team has supported Jackson’s Neurosurgeon, Dr. Edward Smith, with his Moyamoya research efforts.  It has been awe-inspiring to see the progress Dr. Smith and his team are making with Moyamoya research and the incredible developments in diagnosis, treatment, and post-operative care.  The CU Kids at Heart Team has exposed my family to the importance of advocacy and education.  Jackson’s journey has also been a great lesson for my family teaching us that with strength, determination, a positive attitude, and the drive to never give up, we can accomplish anything.  

Thank you for your continued support with my fundraising efforts.  Your donation allow the doctors at BCH to continue to further their research and find life-saving treatments for children across the world. 

Until Every Child is Well!