PRESS ON FOUNDATION

PRESSON:
Our dad and hero, Chris Crawford,  gave us a foundation that inspires us to live as he did, to the fullest.  In his honor, we want to Give Back to cancer-related charity's that support what he battled the last 8 years.  In lieu of sending flowers, this page will help us launch a new foundation named after his moto #PressOn.  Our dad always wanted to start this foundation with a goal to do what he loved doing most, Giving Back!

Our Dad's Story:
In November 2010, after a routine yearly check-up and several follow-up tests, our dad was diagnosed with Myelodysplastic Syndrome (MDS). Because his form of MDS is rare, he started on a fast treatment plan that lead to a bone marrow transplant in April 2011.  His treatment started with heavy chemo and full body radiation to remove his damaged immune system and then infuse a donor's immune system.  He was at OHSU for a couple months before coming home in June to embark on a long journey to build back his strength.  Although you would not know, since he always had a positive attitude, the recovery was a grind. And as no surprise, he went back to work earlier than expected in 2012.
As is common with a bone marrow transplant, he battled graft versus host disease (GvHD). In GvHD, the donated bone marrow view the recipient’s body as foreign, and the donated cells/bone marrow attack the body. GvHD might develop in your skin, liver, eyes, or gastrointestinal tract, and other internal organs. In our dad's case,  his form of GvHD was chronic vs acute.  This shows up later and impacts the quality of life off and on and is ongoing. 
As expected, very few people knew what our dad was battling since he stayed positive amongst the treatments, multiple surgeries, and numerous hospital stays.  In recent months, his lungs were impacted greatly and in true Chris Crawford style, he embarked on focusing on living his life to the fullest.  On January 19th, he passed away from complications of the disease and is now in a better, pain-free place. 

You Fueled Him:
A special thank you to Dr. Gabby Meyers and the entire OHSU team. Our dad said he was blessed to have the best doctor and team available!
To our Nike family- thank you for providing a work/life balance that allowed our dad to get the treatment he needed and the "juice" that his job and co-workers provided. 
Lastly, we will never be able to thank all of our family and friends enough. Our dad loved surrounding himself with people that brought positive energy.  Your love and support is infectious and will help us keep his life-long act of generosity alive.  We Love you! -Payton and Carson
#PRESSON