To me, a true friend is someone who never loses touch. I don't mean the occasional message on Facebook or Twitter. I mean someone who actually takes the energy to open their phone, browse through their contacts, hit dial, and chat anywhere from 2 minutes to 2 hours about anything or nothing.  Or someone who changes their schedule to make time for someone they haven't seen in a while.  Erion is definitely a true friend.

We met my junior year in college and have remained friends ever since. No matter how far I moved (literally half way across the country) or how busy I got (law school, bar exam, etc.), Erion and I always stayed in touch. What initially sparked the bond was our major, Criminal Justice and our open outlook on life. I've always tried to surround myself with positive people who fill my life with good vibes and good times...Erion is just that guy. Everything from his sense of humor, attitude towards others, and outlook on life makes Erion someone who betters me as a person. This has become more evident after Erion was diagnosed in 2009 with Systemic Scleroderma.

Even after his diagnosis and all of the obstacles put in Erion's path, his attitude has not changed a bit. A friend of mine who has Multiple Sclerosis told me that "she had MS, but MS did not have her." Without Erion having actually said those same words about Scleroderma, I know, without a doubt in my mind, Erion has Scleroderma, but Scleroderma does NOT have Erion! Erion is a true inspiration to me and is a true friend!

Like many others, I had absolutely NO CLUE what Scleroderma is until it affected someone close to me. To be honest, I still don't fully understand it, but neither do the experts. This is exactly why I've decided to raise money for the Scleroderma Foundation. I have organized 5 K's for the Make-A-Wish Foundation, run marathons to raise money for friends with cancer, run 170-Mile relay races for Camp Millennium, but this is by far the most trying run of my life.....I am going to run a 100 mile run not only to raise money, but more importantly, raise awareness about Scleroderma..

Please help me out with this endeavor by donating whatever you can. Whether it is a flat rate, or an amount per mile, every single donation makes a difference.