Healthy Tradition for Labor Day

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I recall the Labor Day weekend when I was about 12.  My family (Dad, Mom and sis) had gone to a barbeque at a friend’s house.  They had 5 children and their house was always bustling with friends and family.  It was a healthy, happy place to be.  We kids all settled inside around the television to watch the Muscular Dystrophy Telethon hosted by Jerry Lewis.  Moved by the tender stories of families whose children were afflicted by this dreadful disease, we gathered our pennies, nickels, dimes and quarters together and the older kids called in a pledge to the telethon to help Jerry's kids. It was a tradition that continued for years at the Labor Day barbeque.

Many years later, I married the oldest of the five children and we committed to upholding that tradition throughout our marriage.  In my mind, by doing this, I knew our family would be a healthy one.

The years went on, and when unable to have biological children, we adopted a beautiful, healthy, newborn baby boy.  When he was four we adopted another beautiful and healthy baby boy.  Our oldest walked late and always on his tippy toes. Sometimes his speech was difficult to understand, especially when he was tired. We decided to take him to an orthopedist when his altered gait became very obvious.

Five years, two surgeries, a muscle biopsy, DNA testing and what seemed like a gazillion doctors appointments later we were told that our son had Charcot Marie Tooth Disease; one of the over forty neuromuscular diseases that fall under the umbrella of the Muscular Dystrophy Association.

The MDA has become a great source of comfort for our family.  When it was determined that he needed a power assist wheelchair, MDA stepped in where our insurance stopped.  MDA sent our son to camp where he was able to have fun with other kids who didn't comment about how odd he walks, or that he gets tired easily.  MDA provides us with literature to give to his teachers and others to help them better understand what it is to have CMT.  The MDA clinic is there to evaluate, to council and to update us on new advances in testing and treatment.

Our Labor Day tradition has changed over the years.  Oh, we still watch the telethon, and we still make our pledge; now we also travel down to south Orlando and speak on the telethon with our son about what it’s like to be a family with CMT.

Fellow Boomers, will you please think about gathering your pennies, nickels, dimes and quarters with those of your family members and friends and call in a pledge to the MDA telethon?  It really does make a difference to folks living right here in Central Florida and you can designate your donation to stay in our area.

Thank you from the bottom of my heart.