Meet my cousin Bella Mazzurco, the most loveable and resilient little girl I have ever met. She touches the lives of everyone she meets. However, Bella has had to fight harder in her first 3.5 years than most people do in a lifetime. At two weeks old Bella began to have seizures and at two months old, she was formally diagnosed with Mosaic Trisomy 8, a rare chromosomal disorder that she will battle for the rest of her life.
Mosaic Trisomy 8 is a disorder that affects and often delays physical development, eye sight, speech difficulty, etc and can result in a range of medical issues throughout one’s lifetime. Bella has had more than 80 hospital visits, 30 of which resulted in overnight stays. Within the last year, Bella was diagnosed with an autoinflammatory disease that is similar to Behcets. While her condition brings unimaginable uncertainty and stress to Bella, her family and friends, have all been true warriors – especially Bella. To learn more about Bella’s story and the challenges she and her family face, please visit here 




My goal is to help raise funds for Bella’s parents, Tina and Sal. Since Bella’s diagnosis, they have placed all of their energy and focus on providing the best possible medical care for their daughter. They are under financial pressure due to numerous hospital visits, constant speech therapy, trips to the National Institute of Health in Bethesda MD,  wages from time off work, and potential costs of her needing a future bone marrow transplant. My hope is that I am able to contribute much needed funds via this fundraising platform to assist them as they continue to help Bella in her long journey



On August 18, 2019, I will be participating in the Ironman Mont-Tremblant event in Quebec, Canada. While I’ve completed half-Ironman distance races (1.2 mile swim/56 mile bike/13.1 mile run) in the past, this will be my first full-length Ironman distance race (2.4 mile swim/112 mile bike/26.2 mile run). I’m competing to raise awareness for those with Mosaic Trisomy 8, and especially in honor of sweet Bella. I’m training hard each day to prepare for the world’s most famous endurance race and I know that every mile completed in the Ironman event will pale in comparison to what Bella faces each day. Even so, I am excited to compete in Bella’s honor and to provide fundraising support to Bella and her family during this very challenging time in their lives.



I encourage you to consider donating any amount to Bella’s cause. No amount is too small. All donations will go directly to Bella’s family to assist in expenses related to her care. Together, we can help Bella during her courageous journey.




Sincerely,

Greg