Friends, with the help of WJOX 94.5 FM and Roundtable Radio, we have gotten together to raise money for a wonderful cause in honor of a great kid.
On February 14, 2010, the five of us will be running in the Mercedes Marathon relay in honor of Jack Taylor in order to raise awareness and money for The Bell Center in Birmingham, AL.
The Bell Center is an early intervention program dedicated to maximizing the potential of children from birth to age three who are at risk for developmental delays. The staff and volunteers at The Bell Center work tirelessly with children who have been born with a diagnosis such as spina bifida, cerebral palsy, or Down syndrome, as well as children who do not seem to be progressing as expected. At The Bell Center, children receive physical, occupational, and speech therapies, as well as special education and nutritional counseling.
We are running this year in honor of Jack Taylor. Jack is a two year old boy who was born eight weeks premature. Jack spent the first 5 1/2 weeks of his life in the NICU. He experienced a collapsed lung and was on the ventilator for days.
Jack was diagnosed with Periventricular Leukomalacia (PVL) in May of 2009. PVL is caused by a lack of oxygen or blood flow to the brain which results in the loss of brain tissue. Children with PVL are at risk for motor disorders, delayed mental development, coordination problems, and vision and hearing impairments.
Jack has been attending The Bell Center since September. He is doing great, and the staff at The Bell Center expect him to integrate into a typical kindegarten environment.
Please consider making a donation using this secure website. No amount of money is too small. Making a donation is fast, simple and secure.
If you prefer to send a check, you can do so by making a check out to The Bell Center and mailing it to:
The Bell Center (1700 29th Court South. Birmingham, AL 35209)
We appreciate your consideration of this wonderful cause.
TEAM JOX
(Joey McGilberry, Chris Richardson, Jerry Deerman, Brock Nix, and Michael Williams)