Because of the generosity of others, I have been able to raise more than my original $7000 goal. The marathon is less than a week away. It hardly seems possible. I have been working for 9 months to prepare myself physically for this event, and I feel ready. I'm excited, nervous, and honored to be part of an organization that has such an important mission -- to find a cure. I have increased my pledge and I will continue to work to increase awareness. Please join me in my fight -- thanks for your support!

As you know, September 2008 marked a new beginning for my family -- entry into a club of extraordinary children with amazing resilience and courage. That point marked the beginning of our journey with juvenile dermatomyositis -- a journey that continues for us to this day.

Prior to that point, our daughter Morgan was a healthy pre-teen with normal problems -- what to wear, who to hang out with, when the next Twilight book would come out. In September 2008, her eyelids turned red and her face started to swell. After 3 trips to the dermatologist, 7 trips to the pediatrician, an introduction to her pediatric rheumatologist fondly known as Dr. Lisa, an MRI and a muscle biopsy, Morgan was diagnosed with Juvenile Dermatomyositis (JDM). And that was only the beginning.

JDM is an insideous, incurable autoimmune disease that has robbed Morgan of a year of her life. She takes 32 pills a day, gets weekly steroid infusions, takes weekly chemo shots, and gets IVIG every 3 weeks. She is unable to attend school and is homebound, but throughout all of this, she remains hopeful that she will turn the corner.  For many children with JDM, it's a challenge to simply stand up or sit down.

CureJM is a grass roots organization founded, created and managed by families of children with Juvenile Myositis. This rare disease affects approximately 2-4 children out of a million. There is very little incentive for the drug companies to do research to find a cure. CureJM's goal is to never let another child like Morgan suffer with Juvenile Myositis.

To get closer to this goal, I'm asking you to donate money to CureJM and sponsor my run in the Austin Marathon. Please help me reach this goal and get closer to putting an end to this disease.