2020 is going to another epic year running for Boston Children's Hospital for Team Jace! Going to complete the Abbott World Majors by running the 2020 Tokyo Marathon!!
Running for Boston Children's Hospital since 2013 has allowed me to see firsthand what an incredible and caring organization BCH is and how tight the community is around the entire staff, the patients, their families and the Miles for Miracles Marathon Team. In addition I have the very special honor to run for Jace Perkins otherwise known as "complete rockstar"! Jace survived a 25 week birth weighing in at 1.6 pounds and going through many delicate procedures and surgeries. Today Jace is doing quite well led by his amazing parents, Jamie and Melyssa Perkins. Here is a detailed account listed below of Jace's journey and of course I will update these milestones as we go through the next several months leading up to his 5th birthday and beyond!
Survived a 25 week birth weighing in at 1.6 pounds
Grade 3 brain bleed hemorrhage
High levels of Bilirubin
1st surgery - subgaleal shunt placement
2nd surgury - ETV (Endoscopic third ventriculostomy) to treat hydrocephalus (flatlined for 20 seconds)
3rd surgery - second ETV to remove scar tissue
4th surgery - for his left eye to correct alignment
Jace has also made milestones along his journey and of course we expect the milestone list to grow!
Jace weighed in at 8.2 pounds on what would have been his original due date
Made it to 20 pounds on his 1st bithday and 30 pounds before his 2nd birthday!
Jace walked 2 months before his second birthday!
And as we stand today here is an updated timeline on Jace!
Jace turns 6 on 12/26/19
He’s now 42-1/2 inches tall 44 pounds and has been in a special school (38 hours a week mon-fri) for development of children on the spectrum for Autism.
This school has been a god send he’s improved in every aspect especially recently we discovered he’s now learning the letters of the alphabet... Which hasn’t even started in school or at home... 2 weeks ago mid October we discovered he was saying letters out loud but then my wife showed me he was sounding out 6 letters within a second of viewing them.
The school was shocked so they started flash cards now he’s up to 11 letters on cue.
His attention has increased dramatically when approached.
He’s also learning to say bye when prompted.
SKIES THE LIMIT FOR THIS SUPERSTAR!!!!!!!
No one is more blessed than me to have the support of my amazing wife Christine and our 2 incredible sons of our own in Nico and Christiano. Nico has continued to run cross country at Norwell High and has plans to someday run along side me in the Boston Marathon in support of Boston Childrens Hosptial, I get goosebumps thinking about that day! I could never do any of these events with all that come swith them with the training, missing many of their school activites and the efforts of fundraising without the support of my family! #forevergrateful
Support my run, support Jace and Boston Children's Hospital! Please make a gift today. No gift is too big or too small!
Thank you very much!
Best,
Steven Iannacone
#TokyoMarathon2020 #milesformiracles #teamwork #untileverychildiswell #JaceStrong #TeamJace #thiskidinspires #family
