(Our Son Braeden at 5 1/2 months old 2 days after surgery)
Mission Statement:
Serving
Cayuga County and the surrounding area.Setting up healthy events for the community in which we serve.We help fight child obesity, bring child
friendly events and help local charities through our events.
Group Slogan:
Dream…Believe…Achieve…
Group Motto:
We make change in our communities in which we live. Whether we run for a cause, design a 5k run for charity..we are in this fight together! We make a better tomorrow through our actions today!
Our
Story-Vin’s Inspiration
Kaylei In 2001, our daughter, Kaylei, was born with a
rare kidney disease. She was ill and hospitalized on three different occasions
in the first year of her life. I remember spending her first Easter in the
hospital. I still remember sleeping at the hospital and going to work
hours later. It is a feeling I will never forget, a feeling of lost hope,
like there’s nothing you can do.
At age two we were still giving Kaylei three liquid
sodium shots a day. We spent the first two years at University Hospital.
Then, about a month later, the symptoms disappeared. Thankfully, so did the
bi-weekly visits to the hospital. I felt our worries were finally over. Then
along came Braeden…
Braeden
In 2003, our son, Breaden, appeared fine at
first, until he was about two months old; they noticed his soft spot was
closed. He also had a misshapen anterior fontanel. We panicked! They mentioned
surgery, but we had no idea what to expect seeing that they saw cases where
some children had forms of brain damage and delays even after surgery. Braeden
also had a calcium issue where he had the beginning of teeth at only three
months old.
Braeden is truly a Godsend. He was supposed to be
in the hospital for fourteen days and was out on the morning of the eighth day!
He really is a hard worker, and today he is such a wonderful little boy. The
doctors recently said he won't need any more childhood surgery, yet he may need
a cosmetic surgery in his late teen years. I will admit, the years will burn
you out after two issues like these, and at times they give you issues of your
own. You just have to stay true to yourself, forget about what everyone else
says and at times, and get what support you can.
It was nice to get back to friends and family after
we sold our house and everything we had to move to Maryland to get Braeden’s
treatment at Johns Hopkins Hospital. If you’re interested, you can read
more about details of Braeden's initial condition at: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Craniosynostosis
To
the Future
Everything
in a Pair
by: Vin Gleason
I look
back at the last ten years
We’ve managed with much despair
Every hand that’s been dealt
Has been laid in a pair
It all started with our kids
Both with many hospital years
Moving and surgeries
A decade spent with fears
Then two car accidents
On the same day but two years apart
Injuries heal but the mind may not
Was this the keeper’s plan from the start?
So don’t take it personal
When it seems I have a tude
I have tied a knot and am holding on
I don’t mean to be rude
When you add all of it up
I am just like you
I play the game with the cards dealt
I try to figure out what to do
Maybe days I am off
But my heart is always beating
I strive for the little man
Even though somedays are defeating
I decided I am not going to play
With this deck of cards anymore
It is time for a new deck
To see what life has in store
So please throw away your bad pairs
And let’s do what is right
Let’s join together in our group
And keep up the good fight
Finishline picture at our first ever organized run to University Hospital in Syracuse,NY.
Please Help The Cause!
501c3 papers are in and we have our new fed tax ein! (Feb 2010) If anyone would like to help sponsor any of our events or need help in any of our service areas, call us at 315-209-5044 or by email at run_for_life@verizon.net
Thank You For Stopping By!
We would also like to thank the many doctors who helped these small wonders on the road to just sit where the rest of the kids sit! Thank you to all the family and friends that helped support us and are helping me be the driving force behind this website today.
Braeden & Kaylei
Kaylei Age 7 First day of school 2008 With her brother!!!
Braeden at Age 5 Finishing the 1 mile fun run on his own at the Mason & Grant
Labor Day Classic 2008! He finished .25 a mile ahead of us! He is the best!