Tuesday, March 8, 2011
The Cataract Chicks
5:41 PM | 
Posted by
Team A {Squared}
As you know, this year we are running under the name TEAM AVERY / TEAM MARGARET. Since you already know Avery Claire's story, I thought you should hear about our sweet friend Margaret. Margaret, as of right now, has not had as fortunate an outcome as Avery Claire. Still, she is a spicy, intelligent, beautiful little girl who doesn't let her handicap stand in her way.
This post is a special post, as Margaret is going to undergo the same surgery Avery Claire had this Fall. Much like Avery, this is a do-or-die surgery...it either works and changes life for the better, or it doesn't and everything stays the same. Please join Margaret, Avery Claire, and their parents as we try to raise money for other kids with visual impairments. You don't have to live in Missouri, you don't have to run, and you don't even have to show up...just know that your donation makes a huge impact on these children. Avery Claire has benefited from other's kindness, and now it's time for us to pay it forward. Please help us make a difference. I can tell you from personal experience that ALL our lives were improved by our involvement with the Delta Gamma Center for Kids with Visual Impairment. Above right is a picture of Avery Claire, just turned 2, trying to learn to use silverware. To the left is a picture of her now, post-surgery. It's hard to believe in miracles these days - trust me, I know - but she is a walking example of one.
Now here is Margaret's story:
Hi Friends!
I wanted to let you know about an upcoming run that means so much more to me than a little Sunday morning exercise! I know several of you have already signed up for this - THANK YOU!!!!
One week from today, my daughter's life will forever be changed. On March 15th, Margaret will have 2 surgeries: an intraocular lens implant and a glaucoma procedure. Margaret was born with cataracts and had her first surgery when she was just 2 weeks old...followed by a series of additional surgeries. Over the next several months, her problems got more serious. She developed glaucoma, strabismus, and amblyopia. Her glaucoma, the high pressure in her eye, caused the blood supply to her optic nerve to be cut off, nearly destroying the optic nerve and thus her sight. She has worn a contact lens since she was 2 weeks old, and she has been taking glaucoma medication twice a day for what feels like way too long! If all goes as planned, these surgeries will change all of that! We've been told there's not much hope for her right eye, that optic nerves don't regenerate or heal, but I refuse to give up on it. Thank God, Margaret hasn't given up on it either. She is amazing, to say the least.
You've probably known me for a while, and may not have ever heard about this, so why am I suddenly going public with Margaret's struggles??? Last year, Margaret met a little girl named Avery Claire Geary. Avery lived just down the street from us in Kirkwood, was born just hours before Margaret, and also has cataracts! The similarities don't stop there, but I'll keep this brief. Last year, Avery introduced us to the Delta Gamma Run for Sight, a fundraiser which helps so many visually impaired children right here in St. Louis. And this year, little Avery Claire and Margaret are joining forces to create TEAM AVERY/TEAM MARGARET in hopes of raising funds to allow the Delta Gamma Center to provide their critical services to St. Louis children. I know that so many of you are runners, but you don't need to be a runner to join the team! So we ask you to join our daughters in making a difference and support this wonderful organization by participating in the 5K run or 2 mile run/walk (there's also a kids' Fun Run) on Sunday, May 1, 2011 at St. Louis Union Station. All proceeds from the run go to the Delta Gamma Center for Children with Visual Impairments. For more information about the center, please visit their site at www.dgckids.org.
Below is the link to Team Avery/Team Margaret's page. You can register for the 2011 Run for Sight from the link at the bottom of the page. Remember to select Team Avery/Team Margaret when you register! I hate asking people for anything, but I don't want to leave anything out...if you'd like to make a tax deductible contribution, but not participate in the race, there's a link for that too. And if you'd rather send a donation via check to avoid processing fees, we can arrange that too!
We'd love for you to join Team Avery/Team Margaret! Will you help us make a difference?
With love,
Jenny
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