For those of you who haven't seen my spam-like tweets and facebook posts, I am participating in the Annual Long Beach Polar Bear Splash in order to raise money for the Make-A-Wish Foundation.
My cousin, Danny, has suffered from Chronic Kidney Disease since birth. At the end of 2007, when Danny was 13, his condition became very serious and he was placed on the waiting list for a kidney transplant. This was incredibly stressful, both emotionally and physically, for a boy of that age. He had to stop attending school (tutors came to the house), couldn't play sports, was rarely able to see his friends, and missed out on so much of the normal growing experiences of an 8th grade boy. A family member wrote to Make-A-Wish to explain Danny's situation, and Make-A-Wish contacted my Aunt and Uncle in order to grant Danny a wish. Since Danny was mostly confined to the house, Make-A-Wish gave his bedroom a complete New York Mets makeover - orange and blue checked carpet, blue walls, a customized Mets bedframe and dresser, and a brand new television to watch his favorite players on. Danny was able to reclaim some of the normalcy of being a young teenage boy.
My family owes a great deal to the Make-A-Wish Foundation. Now, it is my turn to give back. The Long Beach Polar Bear Splash occurs on Sunday, February 7th (aka Superbowl Sunday). At 1:30PM, yours truly (along with several hundred other equally crazy people) will run headlong into the freezing Atlantic Ocean to raise money for this amazing organization.
Photo Credit: Long Beach Polar Bear websiteIf you would like to volunteer, participate, or donate, please visit my personal page.
Thank you!
(Note: I will also be participating in a walk to benefit the National Kidney Foundation in May. If you would like to participate, I will be posting details soon!)
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