Dear Family and Friends,

I hope this letter finds you well. 

After hearing about the incredible suffering my best friend's cousin Kelli has undergone at the hands of Crohn's Disease, I wanted to help.  What better way to do that than torture myself by running 26.2 miles in another marathon?

Imagine losing 5 bowls of blood in just 12 hours.

Crohn's Disease can be much more than a simple digestive issue, as many people believe.  At just 8 years old, and only 49 pounds, Kelli has spent two months in the hospital (last time for 30 days straight).  Since June 1st she has made four hospital visits, had eight blood transfusions and only spent 1.5 weeks at home. 

In short, she has had at least two colonoscopies and endoscopies, had an infection in her PICC line (catheter), had a seizure, had a stroke, been on a ventilator, and dealt with organ failure.  At one point things looked so grim and because she nearly died, she received her last rites. 

The child cannot eat or drink without becoming sick.  Her platelets reached a level of 800,000 (200,000 is normal), and if they climbed any higher, she would have had another stroke.  She now has scarring on her brain and has suffered neurological damage.  Unfortunately, because there are so many ulcers and polyps present in her intestines, they cannot remove them via surgery, and ultimately, she will develop colon cancer if her colon is not removed. 

She has taken methotrexate (a Chemo drug) in an attempt to reduce the polyps, she took remicade for a period of time (but got so sick she could not longer take it), and now she is on prednisone to reduce inflammation. 

Due to the disease, Kelli's mother has used up all of her paid time off and Kelli's father cannot work.

While some of her suffering can be attributed to the poor treatment she received and a lack of diagnosis, a lot can be attributed directly to the disease itself.  At eight years old she should not have to suffer in the way that she has.  No child should have to endure what Kelli has.

I am asking for your help.  I understand the economy stinks, and I appreciate any donation you can make.  Please know that your support means the world to me and I cannot thank you enough.

Sincerely,

Amy Cadotte