Your hard-earned dollars are hard at work helping kids like Addison #transplantresearch

Tomorrow we head off on a great McYong epic adventure through Europe, capped off by the World Transplant Games in the UK.  These last few weeks before our departure have been a bit crazy! Along with our everyday life stuff, we are also starting to plan our fundraising events for this fall. In addition to our beer and burger event and silent auction, we have something else special in the works. We will update you as soon as we have confirmed details. Of course, as per usual, we are getting started on planning much later than I had hoped. Small business owners, crafters and makers, be warned…I will be putting out the ask for donated items for the silent auction very soon!

I really want to take some time to thank you for all the support you have given us over the years to help fund pediatric transplant research. We are making a difference. I’m very proud to share with you that the Addison Fund has recently agreed to co-fund two important pediatric transplant research projects, in conjunction with the Canadian Donation and Transplantation Program, that could make a major difference to Addison and her transplant buddies.

Addison and two of her awesome post-transplant nurses at the Triple Crown for Heart bike ride.

The first project is led by Dr. Tom Blydt-Hansen at BC Children’s Hospital. It will look at how metabolism influences the immune system and impacts the chances of developing rejection. The bottom line is no one knows exactly why some kids seems to reject, and others don’t. Maybe the immunometabolic profile of each individual holds the key and one day, we’ll be able to better predict which transplant kid is more at risk. That way, those kids could be more closely monitored, perhaps even tailoring the amount of medication non-rejectors and rejectors would get.

Addison with Dr. Gandhi, the guy who held both her hearts in his hands.

The other project is about vaccinations, which as you probably know is a subject that makes me feel rage and despair all at the same time. Transplant kids and others who are immune-compromised cannot get live vaccines, therefore leaving them completely defenseless against certain diseases, including measles and chicken pox. Dr. Karina Top from Dalhousie University is going to study if chicken pox, or varicella, vaccines can safely be given to transplant kids. This could mean within a few years, many transplant kids will be able to be protected from chicken pox!!! And YOU helped make this possible.

I’ll be updating you on progress of both these projects. I am a patient partner on the varicella study and it is really rewarding to be able to use my ‘expertise’ as a transplant mom, in additional to financial support from the Addison Fund, to help shape the future for transplants kids.

Addison and Charlie with two of their cousins, Luca and Amelia.

So…we are hoping our fundraising efforts this fall will get us another $10,000+ for the Addison Fund. Yes, it’s a big goal but we’d love to be able to fund even more important research like both these projects. I know you will all be generous! 🙂

Back to pre-trip prep! We have a pretty crazy four week itinerary around Europe. First stop…Istanbul!! The World Transplant Games are August 17 to 24, Addison’s third World Games. She hasn’t done that much training, but she feels confident. As she says, her goals on this trip are to “Eat some new food, get some new money, and win some medals.” (I’ll be updating mostly on my Instagram page so follow along with my posts and IG Stories.)

Love,
Elaine, Aaron, Addison and Charlie