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Thank you for visiting my Personal Fundraising Page. Donating through this site is simple, fast and totally secure. It is also the most efficient way to make a contribution to our fundraising efforts. Any donation amount helps! We know times are tough on everyone and are looking for donations of $5, $10, $15 or $20. We also have corporate sponsorhsip packages available starting at $250. If you are interested please let us know!!! lindsaya@oakmi.com or canes@wisinski-group.com
Many thanks for your support -- and don't forget to forward this to anyone who you think might want to donate too!
All proceeds benefit and support the Down Syndrome Association of West Michigan!
Thank you to those of you who have donated "offline" :) Ellen & Dave Zierleyn $100! Laura & Aaron Rivera $25! The Ackerman's $50! The Ogden's $20! Owen-Ames-Kimball Co. Employee's through the Jean's Day for Charity fund $100! Owen-Ames-Kimball Co. $1,222!
Why I Walk – A Mom’s Perspective
Precious…smiling…sweet little peanut…cuddly…energetic…amazing! It is difficult for me to write this story about Rylee because there are so many things that make her amazing that I don’t even know where to begin. From the moment she was born I knew she was an angel. I remember looking at her sweet little face and immediately falling in love, all of my worries faded away as soon as I held her.
Rylee Miracle Anes was born on May 30, 2008 at 5:30 in the morning. After months of worrying and not knowing what to expect, she was here. And she was perfect. She cried like a baby, ate like a baby and slept like a baby. Actually, to be honest, she barely cried. She really was, and still is, perfect. Why was I so worried for the last few months about “Down syndrome?”
Now that Rylee is one, it almost seems silly to me how nervous and anxious I was. I guess it was the fear of the unknown and maybe even a little bit of the doom and gloom my OB gave me when he decisively said “there is nothing good about Down syndrome.” Boy was he wrong!
The one thing that eased the fear of the unknown for me, aside from the support of my husband, family and friends, was the support of the DSAWM. From the first moments of learning that Rylee might have Down syndrome, they were there. My husband and I received a new parent packet, had a genetic counseling session, signed up for the monthly newsletter and tried to soak up as much information as we could online. We even received phone numbers of people who wanted to talk to us about their children with Down syndrome. What a great organization we have in and what great support we have from the DSAWM!
So why do I walk? I haven’t walked yet, but am looking forward to walking this year for two reasons. The first is my daughter, Rylee. I walk to raise public awareness about Down syndrome and to continue to positively influence public perception. There is no doubt that she will grow up in a very loving home with an awesome support system that extends well beyond our immediate family. But what about “everyone else?” I want her to be loved for who she is, not pushed aside because of what she has. And so far, I am happy to report that all of our experiences have been positive and people have been very accepting of our family’s differences – as they should be.
The second reason I walk is for all of the unborn children who will have Down syndrome and for their mothers-to-be who will feel like it is the end of the world when they first find out. There is no doubt that they will go through a period of grief, among other emotions and feel like they are on an emotional roller coaster during their last three or four months of pregnancy. Nonetheless, I want them to be able to receive positive and most importantly up-to-date information about children with Down syndrome. Oh yeah, and I want them to have the phone number of someone who wants to brag to them about their child with Down syndrome. Mine.
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