This is the Fifth Annual and FINAL Kassie Memorial Lap’ Round the Lake for Lupus. The decision to stop this event was a tough family decision, reached after much discussion, thought and prayer. Many factors were considered in reaching this conclusion. The past year has been economically bad for many and may continue for some time into the future. There are many charitable events coming to your attention every month requesting your time and treasure. We also felt that every memorial and charitable endeavor has a productive shelf-life. It is much better to go out on top, with people asking “why stop?”, rather than to go too long and feeling that it has become just another fund raiser.

 

As a family, we will continue to celebrate Kassie’s Memorial on the second Saturday in October each year with a lap around Silver Lake in her honor. If you are so inclined, you are all welcome to join us. We also request that you keep in mind the Lupus Foundation of American (LFA), especially the annual Kassie McMullin Biglow Research Grant, for any of your future charitable donations. Finally, there is no adequate way to say THANK YOU for all the support-financial, emotional, and material, that all have given over the past five years. May God bless you-each and everyone.

 

 

What started out as a loosely planned event for family and some close friends to remember Kassie on the first anniversary of her death, has evolved into a great social event for Silver Lake and a model for awareness and community action monitored and lauded by the national office of the Lupus Foundation of America (LFA). It has taken on a life of its own and we have ridden it with success these past five years.

 

 

• The four annual Kassie Memorial Laps to date have raised over $45,000 in local donations.

 

• The efforts of Kassie’s friend, DAVID LYTLE, now deceased, brought the story of Kassie’s struggle with lupus to the NBC “Today Show”, which generated national attention for lupus.

 

• A challenge grant match by a pharmaceutical company, Aspreva, generated over $400,000.00, in donations in Kassie’s honor.

 

• The LFA has established an annual research grant in Kassie’s name.

 

• The LFA’s website continues to carry Kassie’s story and the “Today Show” video on its links “Join the Online Community/Personal Stories."

 

• There is a first potential lupus specific treatment in sight, a drug named BENLYSTA, developed by Human Genome Sciences.

 

 

If you wish to donate and pre-register in advance, please feel free to use this website or send names and checks payable to Lupus Foundation of American (LFA) to:

 

 

Donations can also be made on the day of the event. Please contact Joe, Sr. at jmcmullin@neo.rr.com with any questions.