Support A Classmate & His Cause
Dear Friends,
It is my pleasure as Chief Executive Officer of The Adrenoleukodystrophy Foundation to contact you today.
In March of last year, I was contacted by an ALD mother in Massachusetts. Jaimie Beurklian’s son AJ was diagnosed with ALD and Jaimie was beside herself with grief over what AJ was facing in his battle against the illness. I did my best to assist her in understanding the course that the disease would take. As you can imagine, it was a difficult conversation filled with the devastating reality that AJ would be overwhelmed by ALD. The most important thing I communicated was that life should be about quality. Jaimie was a single mother of three boys. Blake and William, while also predisposed to ALD, had shown no signs of development. “Making sure AJ can feel the love you have for him is essential while there is still time left.” Of all of the conversations I have had with families about ALD the one we shared was no more remarkable than any other. Before I hung up I told Jaimie that I would be there to offer whatever I could should she need help. As we hung up, I wondered whether I would hear back from her again or not.
I was contacted in November by Jaimie’s aunt, Beverly Sullivan. Beverly and her sister Barbara MacNeill, Jaimie’s mother, both work at Harvard University. Several co-workers and close friends of Bev and Barb reached out to Jaimie offering their support for her during her time of need. Rather than asking them to help her with the essentials of life, Jaimie asked each person to assist the foundation instead. She wanted each of them to promote the ALD Foundation by raising awareness and making sure that families like hers would have access to the information they needed as they set out on their journeys with this life changing illness.
As a result of Jaimie’s request, Team AJ was formed. This organization is comprised of several members of Harvard staff as well as close friends of the family. They have lent their support to the foundation in such an incredible way with the hope of creating a legacy for AJ, who lost his battle with ALD in January of this year.
On October 26th, Team AJ is holding The AJ’s Wish Silent Auction at The Murr Center Hall of History on the campus of Harvard. Attached is the invitation http://www.aldfoundation.org/Invite%207-30-07.pdf to this event with the hope that many of you may be willing to participate in making this event a tremendous success. The foundation has benefitted significantly by the influence of Team AJ, in that our spirit has been rejuvenated to the extent that we now see, much more clearly, the path that lies ahead for each person affected by Adrenoleukodystrophy.
Thanks to each of you for allowing me the opportunity to make this presentation. If I can answer any questions about ALD, or the work of the foundation, please feel free to contact me at your convenience.
With warm regards I remain,
Sincerely,
David A. Cry
Chief Executive Officer
The Adrenoleukodystrophy Foundation
http://www.aldfoundation.org/
http://www.aldfoundation.org/Invite%207-30-07.pdf
It is my pleasure as Chief Executive Officer of The Adrenoleukodystrophy Foundation to contact you today.
In March of last year, I was contacted by an ALD mother in Massachusetts. Jaimie Beurklian’s son AJ was diagnosed with ALD and Jaimie was beside herself with grief over what AJ was facing in his battle against the illness. I did my best to assist her in understanding the course that the disease would take. As you can imagine, it was a difficult conversation filled with the devastating reality that AJ would be overwhelmed by ALD. The most important thing I communicated was that life should be about quality. Jaimie was a single mother of three boys. Blake and William, while also predisposed to ALD, had shown no signs of development. “Making sure AJ can feel the love you have for him is essential while there is still time left.” Of all of the conversations I have had with families about ALD the one we shared was no more remarkable than any other. Before I hung up I told Jaimie that I would be there to offer whatever I could should she need help. As we hung up, I wondered whether I would hear back from her again or not.
I was contacted in November by Jaimie’s aunt, Beverly Sullivan. Beverly and her sister Barbara MacNeill, Jaimie’s mother, both work at Harvard University. Several co-workers and close friends of Bev and Barb reached out to Jaimie offering their support for her during her time of need. Rather than asking them to help her with the essentials of life, Jaimie asked each person to assist the foundation instead. She wanted each of them to promote the ALD Foundation by raising awareness and making sure that families like hers would have access to the information they needed as they set out on their journeys with this life changing illness.
As a result of Jaimie’s request, Team AJ was formed. This organization is comprised of several members of Harvard staff as well as close friends of the family. They have lent their support to the foundation in such an incredible way with the hope of creating a legacy for AJ, who lost his battle with ALD in January of this year.
On October 26th, Team AJ is holding The AJ’s Wish Silent Auction at The Murr Center Hall of History on the campus of Harvard. Attached is the invitation http://www.aldfoundation.org/Invite%207-30-07.pdf to this event with the hope that many of you may be willing to participate in making this event a tremendous success. The foundation has benefitted significantly by the influence of Team AJ, in that our spirit has been rejuvenated to the extent that we now see, much more clearly, the path that lies ahead for each person affected by Adrenoleukodystrophy.
Thanks to each of you for allowing me the opportunity to make this presentation. If I can answer any questions about ALD, or the work of the foundation, please feel free to contact me at your convenience.
With warm regards I remain,
Sincerely,
David A. Cry
Chief Executive Officer
The Adrenoleukodystrophy Foundation
http://www.aldfoundation.org/
http://www.aldfoundation.org/Invite%207-30-07.pdf
posted by Heidi & Kim at 8:08 AM
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