This picture was taken 10 years ago Saturday, on the day of Trey’s birth. Wow.
Saturday was a big day: Hope, Sweat & Breathe, our yoga fundraiser on Trey’s 10th birthday. We’ve had a lot of different events over the years, the last one a couple years ago. Each year we have people come to our events who have been there every year. You have NO idea what that means to us. The challenges that we face with MPS II Hunter Syndrome aren’t temporary. To see people year after year who have our backs is indescribable. You are our safety net at times when the challenges of Hunter Syndrome outweigh the gifts and we feel like there’s nothing to catch us, no way out or through.
To our neighbors and community: seeing families and friends practice yoga together whom we usually see on our street, at soccer, at the coffee shop, at gymnastics, at Musical Theatre, work or on my yoga mat (and the list goes on and on) was awesome. My heart caught in my throat with each person I saw.
There were new faces: friends of friends, friends of family, students of Mike, Chris, Lindsay and Melissa… the event would not have raised over $18,000 without your support.
Hope, Sweat & Breathe was like all these pieces of our lives coming together on one day to say we love you. We support you. As a family regularly faced with the mortality of their child’s life, this support and love is immeasurable.
As people walked into Hope, Sweat and Breathe, what came to mind time and time again is that each person who walked into that school, has a life of their own. They have families, jobs, friends, challenges, errands to run, activities they like to do. Each person who walked into that school Saturday took time away from their own lives for US. THAT means so much to us. I don’t think you know how much that means to us. I write this in tears.
I want to thank every single person who took part in ANY way for our event, whether with a note to wish us all the best, a donation, a hug. If I didn’t get to say hi to you or I forgot to thank you here, please know it all counts to us; every single act of love and kindness.
To our vendors: Inner Fire, Hippy Pippiz, True Cuddles, For the Love of Food, David’s Tea, Leap Physiotherapy, and Aimee Cakes. You were AMAZING. Your clothing, your knowledge, your personalities, your contribution. We will support you in any way that we can. Thank you. A special thank you to our kid’s table which kept the smaller people engaged and interested.
To our sponsors: Shire Canada, Nourish Market, Cupcakes by Heather and Lori, Butter Baked Goods, painPRO Massage Therapy, Tiger’s Eye Karate Do, Delaney’s Coffee House, Posy Flower Shop, Speedbolt Printing Solutions, Tom Lee Music, The North Shore News, The North Shore Outlook, On Now Media, Lynn Valley Life and The Botto Team. You enabled us to spread awareness and keep costs low in order to put more money towards research. When researching for a cure for a progressive disease, this matters more than anything else.
To Lululemon: thank you for pleasantly surprising a number of our guests with new mats and for making volunteering even more fun. I think we may have grown a few more yogis with your help. 🙂 Thank you also for helping us spread awareness about MPS II and our event, and Chloe and Dustin, thank you for volunteering!!
To our raffle donors: Carats, The Colored Diamond Company, Seymour’s Pub & Beer & Wine, Gillian Horvath, Maa Yoga Studio, Yogapod Yoga Studio, Distrikt Yoga Studio, Kiss & Makeup Apothecary & Apparel, Susan Washington, Banyen Books & Sound, Country Furniture, Marble Slab Creamery, Pivotal Health, Tiger’s Eye Karate Do; our raffle winners were thrilled. Really thrilled. Handing our raffle items is so much fun. And, you helped us raise a LOT of money!!
To our volunteers: you were fun, you were helpful, you are generous. Thank you for your time and your patience. You were FABULOUS. A special thanks to Karen Stark who I could have not done this event without.
To my teachers: Mike, Chris, Lindsay and Melissa. You have transformed me. Words are not enough. I love you.
To PeterJack Rainbird: Your music grounded me in the midst of chaos and brought beauty to our event.
To our photographers Bettina Stiles and Krista Purcell and our documentary filmmakers Christian & Saayeh Anderson & Joey Howell: Thank you for sharing your talent and gifting us with your time. I deeply appreciate you recording this event so we can remember it for years to come. If you would like to know more about the filmmakers who were there, please go to: http://boyswithbiggerhearts.org/.
To our MC Monica Morong: There are few who truly understand our life. It means so much you were there for yesterday and for years to come.
To my family and close friends: I think and hope you know how deeply I love you. The person I am is because of you.
To Trey: Happy Birthday. Prognoses are not always correct. We are going to live and love and laugh and smile. I believe in you.
If you couldn’t make the event, but would like to support our cause, you can donate online at: www.treypurcell.com. Tax receipts will be issued for donations of $15 or more.
LOVE LOVE and more LOVE,
Deb and Ryan Purcell
