Flying

Releasing balloons at Hunter's Hope  Symposium
July 23rd, 2011

Today was the last day of the Hunter's Hope Symposium for scientists, doctors, and families who deal with Krabbe's disease. It is a tradition in the final hour of the conference for all of the families to release a balloon with hopes for living children or in memory of children who are no longer alive. It was exactly six years ago that Krabbe's claimed my youngest daughter, so it was especially poignant for me on this anniversary of that day to watch the balloons fly toward the sky, as Julia's spirit flew on July 23rd, 2005. 


Krabbe's destroys the myelin sheathing that insulates neurons so that the messages necessary for our bodies to function can be transmitted properly.The result is that affected individuals loose the ability to walk, talk, eat, breathe... and live.  I reunited with many old friends and made the new acquaintance of many new families who have children with this fatal disease during this year's event.  As wonderful as it is to meet folks who have innate understanding of one of the defining events of your life because they have a similar experience, it is very hard to see more kids loose their function and become dependent on machinery to do what we take for granted.  Looking at all of these kids, and remembering Julia, I am reminded:


Why do we run?  Because we can. If we can, we should... we must. 
Até amanhã... 
7/23/11 - 2.0 miles | 23 mins | 4.9 mph | 212 kcal