spin-a-thon to support an incredible cause

Alison Berna, Charles Scott and Alison's sister Karen Carolonza on the apple seeds and GreenRoom PR sponsored bikes

Yesterday, I spent the day with my sister and friends in Mountain Lakes, NJ at the 4^th annual Team Zoey Spin-a-Thon.  We laughed and danced and braved our way through four hours of spinning to raise money for a disease called Progeria.  apple seeds was proud to be a sponsor.  The kids, including my own, were proud to be volunteers including handing out water, but more importantly, cheering on the many spinners!

 The kids helped make it all happen!

Progeria is the very rare and always fatal “rapid aging” disease.  Children with Progeria typically die of a heart attack or stroke in their early teens.  My friend Barbara’s niece was diagnosed with Progeria.  Zoey is only 5 years old, and she’s all happiness…a little ray of light.   Barbara and her family are tireless in their efforts to help this beautiful little girl.

Zoey with Alison, Charles Scott and 
Zoey’s loving grandmother.

Zoey and her cousin Alix Batesko

Seeing Zoey’s mother Laura is, for me, so difficult.  I feel she is eternally blessed to have been given this gift -- a child who is loving, sweet, engaged and, even at the age of 5, enjoys a good manicure.  But then sadness overwhelms me as I know, she knows, that her days with her daughter are limited.  Zoey’s years are numbered.  Every day their family – and the few families in this country affected with the disease – wake up with a focus to do all they can to raise money for research to find a cure.   

The Progeria Research Foundation was started by two doctors whose son Sam died last month of the disease. Sam defied the odds and lived until 17 years old.  You may have seen Sam on the news recently…if you have a few minutes, it’s worth watching this ABC News clip to both better understand the disease, and how every dollar can make a critical difference to literally save children’s lives. http://abcnews.go.com/WNT/video/remembering-sam-berns-21501446

The Foundation made history last year in the first-ever Progeria clinical drug trial, which identified the first known, effective treatment of symptoms for children with Progeria.  They hope to use knowledge from this trial to push research forward and find a cure.

You can help me in this effort by making a donation -- please know that any amount, big or small, makes a difference and I am extremely grateful.  www.teamzoey.com

Thank you for your support!