This is Mr. Micah Marshall.
He was born two months before Ella, to our good friends Don and Chelsea, and their three-year-old Joe. Last November, we were on our way to see them and all our family and friends in Ojai for Thanksgiving, when we got the news that Micah’s lung had collapsed, and that he had been diagnosed with Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA). The doctors told them that kids with SMA rarely live past 18 months. It’s the number one genetic killer of young children, but research for a cure is grossly underfunded compared to more publicized genetic diseases like Parkinson’s.
Last month all the people we love in Ojai, plus a lot of very cool community members who don’t even know the Marshall’s, walked the bike trail with Micah. Their goal was to raise $5000 for SMA research. So far the total is over $12,000 and still climbing!
Since I missed out on the fun, I’m running my 10K in Sparks this weekend in honor of Micah man. I’m going to try to make a Micah shirt and everything, but since I’ve never tried this iron-on print-out thing, we’ll just have to wait and see how that goes! We’ll be donating to the search for a cure through FSMA.org, and YOU CAN TOO!! Just click through to this donation page. You can mark your donation in honor of Micah Marshall, and in the additional info box, please specify that your donation is “not for stem cell research”, to fund research that doesn’t utilize embryonic stem cells.
Or if you’d like to help the Marshall’s with the mounting bills they’re facing for all of Micah’s equipment and hospital visits, an account has been set up for them by the name of “The Parents of Micah Marshall”. You can donate at any WAMU branch or mail a check made out to The Parents of Micah Marshall, to PO Box 1154, Oakview, CA 93022.
And most of all, be praying for Mister Micah and his awesome family. They’ve all been a huge blessing in my life since we moved to Ojai in 1990, and we’re praying that God blesses them with miraculous healing and miraculous peace.
Wish me luck this weekend. I’ve never run a 10K!
Wish we could be there for this one too. It doesn’t matter your time, it’s your heart and commitment to complete a goal that is to be commended. We are very proud of you! And it’s even more honorable that you are raising support of the cure of SMA and little Micah. Good job!!!
so excited you are doing this!! You are amazing:)
What a beautifully written post! We’ll be praying for you!