WE ARE GOING ON AN ADVENTURE!!

Russ and I + Sierra (my guide dog) will be taking a canoe trip down the Susquehanna River, from Otsego Lake, Cooperstown NY to Havre de Grace, Maryland, a 444 mile trip that will grant us membership to the exclusive “444 Club”. While membership to the club is an accomplishment on its own, our true goal is to raise awareness and funds for two incredible organizations that are close to my heart: Guiding Eyes for the Blind, a nonprofit organization whose mission it is to provide guide dogs at no cost to those struggling with vision loss, and Cure CMD, who dedicates their time and resources toward raising awareness and advancing research toward treatments for all types of congenital muscular dystrophies. Here is a little more behind how my journey began with Both organizations.

In 2003, 15 years after being formally diagnosed with Retinitis Pigmentosa (RP – a progressive eye disease that has slowly taken my vision), I was introduced to Guiding Eyes for the Blind. At that time, I recall being scared, sad, and very angry. To help cope, and knowing that my independence was in jeopardy, I applied for a guide dog and was matched with my first companion, Gayle. It was a decision that profoundly changed things for me and gave me new opportunities, confidence, and independence. Since then, I have had the pleasure of working with 2 more dogs, Daphne, and Sierra who is with me today. The services I have received from Guiding Eyes have been life changing and I owe so much to their wonderful staff, trainers, and volunteers. If you would like to learn more about Guiding Eyes for the Blind, and the services they provide, please visit https://www.guidingeyes.org.

My journey with Cure CMD began when my sweet, kind, caring, and charismatic 4-year-old grandson James was diagnosed with LAMA-2 congenital muscular dystrophy (CMD), a rare and genetic muscle disorder for which there is no cure. LAMA-2 CMD prevents James’ muscles from developing normally, resulting in exceptionally low muscle tone, profound weakness, and a daily struggle with the day-to-day tasks that we so easily take for granted. Despite James’ challenges, he remains happy, positive, and strong, and thanks to the efforts of Cure CMD, there is hope for all of those affected with congenital muscular dystrophy. If you would like to learn more about Cure CMD’s mission, please visit https://www.curecmd.org.

To do our part in supporting both incredible causes, we created this GoFundMe page, and we humbly invite our incredible friends, family, and community to join us in raising funds and spreading awareness. 100% of the proceeds will be split evenly and given directly to Guiding Eyes for the Blind and Cure CMD.

From the bottom of my heart, we thank you for your support. Together, we can make an impact!

Russ, Sandy, and Sierra