Hello Everyone,
My name is Michael, and I would like to tell you all a story about someone who I owe my very existance to. She is the reason I breathe, the reason why I have come to be the man I am today, and the very inspirational reason why I feel I must write this for her...

She is My Mother and she means the absolute world to my sister and I as well as so many other people in her life.



Her name is Rosanna Darro, a beautiful, fiery, righteous, courteous, give-you-the-shirt-off-her-back kind of human being. Shes the kind of person who would take somebody in if it meant getting them back up on their feet to get another fair shot at life - and I can't tell you how many times she's actually done that. Shes the kind of woman that will tell you how it is, 100% of the time whether you can handle the truth of it all or not. She's stronger than anyone I have ever met in my 23 years of life and has taken every challenge thrown her way in stride with a smile on her face and a little extra hop in her step. She, along with my father, raised two kids under circumstances that were not always ideal, facing constant changes in financial levels and unexpected burdens that life just has a way of throwing upon peoples shoulders.

But not once did I see my Mother waver in the face of such hardships. She did whatever she felt she had to do for us kids, to give us every opportunity in the world to succeed and make it on our own going forward, at the expense of her time, her money and even her health. A mothers love truly knows no bounds...

I mention this because... about ten years ago, she was diagnosed with a very rare chronic disease called "Adiposis Dolorosa". In general medical terms, it is referred to as "Dercum Disease". This disease is the third rarest in the U.S. and the 2nd most painful in the world as it is claimed. This disease develops hundreds, even thousands of lipoma tumors that have blood flow and nerve endings to them which are composed of fatty tissue. These lipomas develop and attach themselves around joints, inside layers of muscle tissue and under the skin, at the ends of nerves and capillaries and even grow upon things like bone tissue and organs if the disease is not regulated through what treatments are available.  She has to endure two to three (minimum) surgeries a year to extract the most painful ones out but unfortunately, they continue to grow back and multiply.  Without the surgeries, she will not be able to walk and her quality of life will deteriorate quickly.  

There is no cure for this disease. There are very few treatments that can help with it. Not very much research has been done on the disease and it is agonizing, both for her, and those who have watched her cope with it.

This amazing woman, who has fought against this disease and now multiple other autoimmune disorders for an extraordinarily long time and continues to fight every single day the best she can. She resolved herself to live life to the absolute fullest about 5 years ago by making positive changes in her life. Everything from diet and exercise to exploring hobbies and talents, to seeing places she had always wanted to see. With this disease, which many doctors had told her time and again would prevent her from doing any of these things, I have seen my mother commit to and accomplish superhuman feats no matter how much pain she was in.

She has walked 5k and 10k runs for various diseases and causes, and has close to 20 finishing medals and trophies from them. She's completed something called the "Spartan Race", which I have seen physically fit grown men and women be unable to finish due to its intensity. She has fought for this diseases' awareness, and many others, in the name of better treatment and reasearch for them all because she believes no one should have to suffer with something like this ever again.


2013 Diva Run


She raised my sister and I with this disease constantly eating away at her, and somehow managed to keep up and keep us going on pretty good paths in life. Shes met fitness goals, she's expanded her beautiful talents in photography and drawing - and has allowed herself to become a multi-faceted artist in her spare time and all the while, somehow, also managed to keep working for an amazingly supportive company to be able to provide us and herself a decent life.




My Mother with My Sister and I and some of her Art


My mother has somehow managed to do the impossible, and tried to live a better life than most people do without such a burden upon their shoulders. She truly is incredible, and her strength stands as a testament to just the kind of person she is.

And she now faces the most difficult time she's ever faced in her life...

This disease has finally taken its toll and has rendered her unable to work (one of the hardest days of her life, she loved working). She has been put on permanent disability and her work benefits will no longer cover the treatments necessary to keep her going like she has been for so many years. Her company and bosses, whom have gone above and beyond the call of duty to help her, extended these benefits out as far as they could so she could settle in and move into a place that doesn't  cost as much, and to ease the financial burden of things going forward as she integrates into the COBRA medical system.

Unfortunately... her time has run out with these benefits. On October 31st of 2015, these benefits will have run their course and the costs of any medical treatment will fall under the COBRA guidelines and those same costs will fall up on her shoulders after that date. and Unfortunately, she doesn't qualify under Medicare for at least 2 years after she qualifies for social security. In other words, due to her age and the timing of these events, she will not be able to afford the medical costs until then.

So I turn to everyone - our friends, our family, and the many kind strangers among us - to help this amazing woman keep going for as long as she can. I ask for any help, any donation, any kind words that you have to offer even, to allow my mother to stay with us for as long as can be, going forward.



I've set a goal of $25,000.00 to reach by October 31st, but achieving any number would mean the world and more to this family. That number would ensure that my mom would be taken care of for at least another year. That is the least a son - a family - can do for a woman who's given everything for us to be where we are today. One more year of comfort. One more year of being able to function somewhat  like the rest of us, and continue living as normal as a person can under her circumstances. Anything more would be more than a blessing... but I aim to at least try and meet that goal for her.
Any and all help and support would be greatly appreciated by this family of ours, as any and all action will not go unnoticed.

I thank you all,

For taking the time to read my Mothers story, and implore you to educate yourselves further on this disease and its awareness.