On Saturday, June 1 in Kensington, Maryland, we will again participate in and volunteer for the sixth annual Colleen's BA 5K. Colleen's BA 5K was organized in memory of Colleen Mitchel--the daughter of a dear friend of ours who, like Anna, was born with biliary atresia (BA). Sadly, Colleen died in 2013 at the age of 19 due to complications from liver disease while awaiting a second liver transplant.
While Anna and Colleen shared the same horrible disease, they also shared the same wonderful doctors and caregivers at the Johns Hopkins Pediatric Liver Center. Without the amazing team at Johns Hopkins and the generosity of organ donors, Anna would not have been so fortunate to have received not just one, not just two but three liver transplants before her seventh birthday! We are happy to share that Anna's health has been relatively stable since her last transplant in 2005, and Anna, being Anna, takes everything in stride and enjoys life like any other 20 year old college sophomore!
We are honored and proud to be a part of this event and are excited by the impact of our past and future fundraising. Thanks to the incredible generosity of our friends and family, Team Anna has raised more than $6,800 over the last two years. To build on this momentum, we have set a family fundraising goal of $3,000 for this year.
So this is where you come in, if you are able to help us meet our goal and support these very worthy causes that are so near and dear to our hearts (the Johns Hopkins Pediatric Liver Center and Washington Regional Transplant Community), go to Team Anna and make your donation TODAY! No amount is too small! Your gift is tax deductible and you will receive a receipt from the Greater Washington Community Foundation.*
With gratitude, Susan and David
*The Colleen Mitchel Memorial Fund is a component of the Greater Washington Community Foundation. For more information about the Run and the Colleen Mitchel Memorial Fund, please see www.colleensba5k.org.
