Everest to End Duchenne 2019
Tax deductible
My son Gus is 13. And while most boys of this age are becoming more self-reliant and exercising independence, the exact opposite is happening for him.
He needs help with nearly everything these days - getting out of bed, dressing, brushing his teeth, standing up from a chair, getting into the car....he is still walking, but he is slowing down and falling more often. He can no longer go to his friend's houses, because they aren't handicapped accessible. He misses way too much school because of Dr. appts, clinical trial visits, swim therapy, brace fittings, equipment evaluations.....the list is long. My heart breaks a little every day, when he loses one more function, or screams for help in frustration, or asks what is going to happen to him.
In 2015, I had an idea. I wanted to do something really BIG to raise money for medical research for Duchenne muscular dystrophy, the terminal, muscle-wasting illness that Gus lives with. I decided to trek to Everest Base Camp in Nepal as a fundraiser for our foundation, Hope for Gus.
The trek was more successful than I could have imagined, so we did it again in 2017, and doubled the amount we raised!
Now, I am taking another team of amazing, dedicated people to Everest again next November. But some things have changed.
Now, Gus needs us so much more, so we are going to be there.
We have decided to scale back on our fundraising events at HFG. We are focusing on Everest because it is our most successful event. And we are scaling back because Gus' DMD is progressing. We also have a few fundraisers that amazing people run for us every year, that we will keep doing as long as they are willing.
We will not do our our Annual Holiday Fundraiser this year, so if that is something you have given to in the past, please give to Everest to End Duchenne instead! You can donate here or at our website www.hopeforgus.org
Thank you for following our journey and for your constant support. We are incredibly lucky to have friends and family who have stuck by us from the beginning.
I will continue to write here as our trek to Everest approaches - and we are ALWAYS adding people to our current and future teams, so think abut joining us!
Much love,
Tonya
He needs help with nearly everything these days - getting out of bed, dressing, brushing his teeth, standing up from a chair, getting into the car....he is still walking, but he is slowing down and falling more often. He can no longer go to his friend's houses, because they aren't handicapped accessible. He misses way too much school because of Dr. appts, clinical trial visits, swim therapy, brace fittings, equipment evaluations.....the list is long. My heart breaks a little every day, when he loses one more function, or screams for help in frustration, or asks what is going to happen to him.
In 2015, I had an idea. I wanted to do something really BIG to raise money for medical research for Duchenne muscular dystrophy, the terminal, muscle-wasting illness that Gus lives with. I decided to trek to Everest Base Camp in Nepal as a fundraiser for our foundation, Hope for Gus.
The trek was more successful than I could have imagined, so we did it again in 2017, and doubled the amount we raised!
Now, I am taking another team of amazing, dedicated people to Everest again next November. But some things have changed.
Now, Gus needs us so much more, so we are going to be there.
We have decided to scale back on our fundraising events at HFG. We are focusing on Everest because it is our most successful event. And we are scaling back because Gus' DMD is progressing. We also have a few fundraisers that amazing people run for us every year, that we will keep doing as long as they are willing.
We will not do our our Annual Holiday Fundraiser this year, so if that is something you have given to in the past, please give to Everest to End Duchenne instead! You can donate here or at our website www.hopeforgus.org
Thank you for following our journey and for your constant support. We are incredibly lucky to have friends and family who have stuck by us from the beginning.
I will continue to write here as our trek to Everest approaches - and we are ALWAYS adding people to our current and future teams, so think abut joining us!
Much love,
Tonya
Organizer
Tonya Bakewell Dreher
Organizer
Peterborough, NH
Hope for Gus
Registered nonprofit
Donations are typically 100% tax deductible in the US.
