Thank you for visiting my fundraising page!

As many people who know me are aware, Lupus is something hitting close to home for all of us in the Edmond clan.  

My personal experience really started in 2006, leading to more than a year of blood work, visits to several different doctors to rule out various diseases, and extreme frustration as I tried to answer a long list of questions.

Why I was so tired and achy?

What was making me suddenly forgetful, confused and unfocused when I was once known for being extremely efficient?

Why did I get so dizzy and nauseated after a seemingly nice day at the beach, enjoying the sun?

Several doctors told me I was "just over-stressed" or "a little depressed" when I described how I couldn't get off the couch at the end of a long day, found simple things- like walking up the stairs or turning my steering wheel to park my car- painful, or found myself stumbling over my words and struggling to find a word in the middle of a simple sentence.  I knew it was more than that, and a particularly "uncomfortable"  flare-up in January of 2008 resulted in the official diagnosis of Lupus.

Despite the inconveniences my family and I face with this disease, I have it VERY EASY in comparison to others.  While the majority of Lupus patients are able to lead normal lives with proper treatment,  there are so many people out there struggling with heart disease, kidney failure, and a number of other major conditions that can result in death because of Lupus.  People with Lupus are at greater risk for cancer and blood disorders.  It's a scary, mysterious disease, and greater attention is needed.  I am walking for those who suffer on a daily basis from this disease- for those whose whole lives have been altered as a result.

Donating through this website is simple, fast and totally secure. It is also the most efficient way to support my fundraising efforts.  Even better than that, please consider fundraising on your own and joining my team to walk with me on September 13th at Hamden Middle School.

Many thanks for your support -- and don't forget to forward this to anyone who you think might want to donate or walk, too!

Thanks to my cousin, Pete, for this article- check out "Voices of Lupus" from the NY Times: 

http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/07/09/the-voices-of-lupus/?emc=eta1