Thanks for a Wonderful Father’s Day!

Father’s Day was extra special for me this year. Not only did I feel the love and support of my family, but also from people I never expected… friends, neighbors and even some people I didn’t know. What a pleasant surprise!

Prior to originally starting my blog, I was perusing the Myasthenia Gravis Foundation of America (MGFA) website. There was a Dare to Care challenge on their site asking people to start a fundraising page to raise money for MGFA. Each donation would go directly to MGFA’s ongoing mission of creating connections, enhancing lives, improving care, and finding better treatments for MG. I took that challenge and started a fundraising site. MGFA made it so easy for you. All you had to do was upload a few pictures, write in the verbiage you wanted to say, and then send a challenge email to your family and friends to help you meet your fundraising goal. Easy peasy!

On the fundraising site I set up, I asked that instead of gifts or cards for Father’s Day, I asked my family to donate to this worthy cause. Sure enough, everyone did and I quickly hit my goal. In fact, it was so easy, I decided to increase my goal, change the verbiage a little and then add a button on my blog page (once I got that started) for anyone else who might want to donate. Both my daughters contributed to my MG fundraiser site right away, so even before Father’s Day, I had already received my Father’s Day presents.

So, Father’s Day rolls around. I receive a message that my oldest daughter had made a second donation on my fundraising website. She didn’t need to do that; she had already contributed enough, but that’s just the kind of person she is. At 11:00 AM, we all got on FaceTime to do a group call with both my daughters and their families and my wife and me. My wife hands me a bag, which I opened, only to find an MG Warrior t-shirt. It gets better. Everyone on the call was wearing an MG t-shirt and an MG Awareness bracelet. Some of the t-shirts said things like “I wear teal for my (Pappy, Dad, Husband)… Myasthenia Gravis Awareness”, some said “MG Support Squad”, and one said “In this Family, no one fights alone… Myasthenia Gravis Awareness”. My youngest daughter had purchased and distributed t-shirts to everyone in our immediate family. Not only that, but she had sent MG bracelets to friends, neighbors and family members all around the country.

Later that day, I started getting pictures of dozens of relatives, friends and neighbors all wearing the Myasthenia Gravis bracelets my daughter had distributed. Some of these people I hadn’t seen in years. It’s pretty hard not to get choked up when you see how many people are helping you in your fight.

When I checked my blog website that afternoon, I discovered over 300 people had visited my site. That just blew me away. I was hoping to help share MG awareness with a few, but thanks to both my daughters and an email that came out from MGFA recommending my blog, I had more people than I could ever have imagined.

And then something else happened. I received a comment on one of my blogs from a lady who also suffers with MG. She remarked how my blogs were spot on and she enjoyed reading them.

That’s why I started this blog. I wanted to increase awareness of MG because so few people know what it is or that it even exists. I also thought, if I could help just one person with my blog, then it will all be worth it. I’m not quite sure I helped that lady just yet, but it sounds like my words at least touched her. An author defines success not when the book they are writing is finished, but rather when he/she learns their words had touched someone’s heart. I invited her to reach out to me if she needed someone to talk to. I truly hope she does. Together we are #MGStrong.

Best Father’s Day ever, in my book. And best family ever, too. Thanks so much to everyone who made a donation, wore a shirt or displayed a bracelet. We’re making a difference and it’s all because of you!