So this is our daughter, Claire. This fundraiser is being launched to raise funds for her to achieve her dream of graduating from VA Tech to become a Preschool teacher. We actually never thought we'd get here. Claire has had Lupus for seven years. Often, like many Lupus patients, you would not know she has a debilitating disease by looking at her. Much of the time, you wouldn't have seen her anyway because she spent much of those seven years in bed. Lupus is an immune system gone so wrong it attacks your very own body, its systems and organs, and it drags your stamina, motivation, ability to concentrate, and emotions down with it. We were often unsure if Claire would make it through High School, but she never quit ... even after massive flare ups that took her out of school for weeks at a time. She fought her way through it and graduated with honors. Ever since she was a kid, having visited her parents' alma mater on many occasions, it was her dream to go to VA Tech. But she didn't think she would ever actually achieve it or, on bad days, even go to college. 

She had to take a year off after graduating high school because it took so much out of her. When the year was up, she realized she just couldn't handle a big four year university or living on her own yet, so the next year she stayed home and went to Trident Technical College. At times she had to drop classes or drop the semester because of Lupus flare ups. She had to plead her case to the SC Commission on Higher Education to get her LIFE Scholarship back after losing too many credit hours due to Lupus. She won. She graduated with honors and applied to VA Tech. We thought it would be a bridge too far, but this girl was determined, like she has always been, to never quit. Up against VT's toughest application process in the school's history for transfer students, she was accepted. After a while, it gets easier to see that God is on this girl's side.

However, when Lupus could not stop her, Lucre stepped in. She has been denied every out of school scholarship and loan for which she has applied, and we cannot afford this dream without a team. I saw a shirt yesterday that said, "It takes a team to achieve the dream." Timely. I had a hard conversation with Claire the other day, admitting that we might have to give up on this. She looked me in the eye and said, "I am not Not going to VA Tech. If I get there and realize my body can't do it, I'll come home; but I am not quitting before I try!" It is literally making me weep recalling the memories of this seven year journey for her as I write this. But my heart swells with love and gratitude to know what she is made of and that she is our daughter. When she was an infant, the pediatrician told us she was not thriving. Now she is my spirit animal, and I will do anything to help her achieve her dreams just like any other Dad I know. It is humbling to beg. But I am really giving you an opportunity to make an investment to help this amazing girl reach her dream. And who knows? One day she just might be teaching your daughter how to be the same kind of warrior.

(Claire's VA Tech Disability Advisor's closing comments after explaining all her accommodations)