06/25/2021
💜 WHO IS EMMY? 💜 Every year we like to kick off our “Rustic Run season” with an introduction to the guest of honor. Emmy is very soft-spoken but equally big-hearted! She is our donut-loving, Barbie-playing, girly-girl who loves to play with friends, go shopping, and travel to visit family. For her 8th birthday, she got her ears pierced and now loves to accessorize and coordinate her outfits with her earrings each day. She just completed 2nd grade virtually and is VERY excited to return to in-person school this fall. So far summer has consisted of hanging at the neighborhood pool and getting lots of playtime in with her little sister. She’s also really enjoying not having to do math homework with Mom! 🤪
Emmy is much like other girls her age but she’s stuck in a body that doesn’t work all that well. Shortly after her 1st birthday, she was diagnosed with a disease called ataxia-telangiectasia (A-T). It’s a neurodegenerative disease that attacks children, causing a progressive loss of muscle control, immune system problems, and a devastatingly high rate of cancer. Because A-T affects the entire body, everything requiring the use of muscle is a struggle. From eye tracking to swallowing, standing up to sitting still, Emmy has to consciously put forth effort to control her body in ways that the average person rarely thinks twice about.
Unfortunately, we have seen a large decline in Emmy’s abilities over the last 6 months. She struggles with basic tasks like getting dressed, using silverware and writing utensils, walking, and even sitting upright for long periods of time. It has been extremely difficult to watch her lose her freedoms and independence at such a young age but we decided a long time ago that we would do everything in our power to help give Emmy the best life we could. She fights for what she wants every single day and we are determined to do the same.
That’s why we’re here doing this trail run year after year! Your participation in our event — whether it’s coming to run the trail, donating a raffle basket, participating virtually, or just sharing our social media posts — is helping make a difference!! We CAN brighten Emmy’s future by helping support the Ataxia-Telangiectasia A-T Children's Project. They are funding top-rate research projects and clinical trials aimed at finding life-improving therapies and -hopefully!- a CURE for A-T. 🤞There are LOTS of exciting advancements being made and promising studies happening but those things can’t happen without funding. So mark your calendars and join us for another unforgettable day on the farm - you’ll have a blast AND you’ll be helping amazing kids like our Emmy! ❤️ ��www.atcp.org/RusticRun
