MPSIIFund News

We raised $40,000 with our “Tacos for Trey” fundraiser. The specific number is $38,904.91. However, there is $700 that still needs to be collected from the event and we have a $500-$1,000 donation about to come in. I am more than thrilled!! I was hoping for $40,000… I’m one to reach for the stars… but didn’t realize we’d get there. I’m so so thrilled. I cannot thank you all enough for your support.
Next is to find out how much is in the MPS II Research Fund and then issue a Request for Applications (RFA) for a $40,000 research grant. Yeah!! Cure, here we come!!

Click the link to check out hundreds of photos from T4T 2010. Thanks for shooting the event, Michele!!

http://michele-tittler.smugmug.com/Photography/Tacos-for-Trey-May-2010/12142101_xhzwz#864242989_izVgJ

That’s how much we raised. The first year we raised $17,000 on the day, the second year we raised $18,000, yesterday we raised $24,800. Very very cool. I am happy. And that doesn’t event count all the donations made before and after the event, which in the past has accounted for about $10-12,000. When I have final tallies in, I will post them here, and if we’ve not yet reached enough to fund one $40,000 research grant, you can bet I’ll be sending out a few more emails reminding those who haven’t donated that we still need to reach our goal! 😉
Thank you everyone. You helped us have a very successful event. What a wonderful Mother’s Day! Happy Mother’s Day to all!

Check out the link: http://www.wormholeriders.com/blog/?p=13552
Thanks Nadine, for coming, shooting, writing, and helping us raise awareness! And for getting photos out before I had a chance!! 🙂

Unable to sleep last night because of all the overwhelming emotions going on inside me, and up at 5am for the same reason (Ry’s out cold… not fair! ;)), here I am, trying to express what it means to me that you came, that you donated, that you sponsored, that you volunteered. And I can’t. At ‘Tacos for Trey’ yesterday, people asked me how I was doing, how I thought the event was going, and I was unable to comment in any real kind of way. Being at ‘my’ event was an out of body experience. This event that I have been planning since September, that I have neglected and yelled at my kids because of, that I’m planning because I want to save my child’s life, that I have poured my heart and soul and everything I am and hope to be into… when it actually came, it was surreal.
Looking out over the hundreds of people who came to the event was unbelievable. We’ve come to have regulars. Our family and close friends who have supported us the whole way through. People who we may not know quite as well, but for some reason, know we need their support and have really big hearts or have been through something themselves so understand what we’re going through. They’ve helped us grow and watch us grow our event from our home in its first year, to the school for the past 2 years. A lot of these ‘regular’s’ I see once or twice a year or haven’t even seen them since the last T4T, and that brings me to tears because even though I don’t see them or talk to them or thank them or hug them, they still show up.
Grizz and Aimee also blew me away. Since beginning our MPS II Research Fund in 2007, T4T (and ‘Time for a Cure’ last year) has been the only fundraiser to raise money for our fund. Then yesterday, Grizz, one of Ryan’s friends from work, who I feel this connection to, even though we’re not close, went up to the mic and presented us a cheque for over $2,000. He held a poker night last weekend to raise $ for our fund.
And then Aimee came to talk to me. I’m not sure how much to say here, because I don’t want to breach anyone’s privacy, but her and her husband put on a yearly fundraiser, with proceeds going to ‘said’ charitable organization. For their upcoming event, however, they have decided to split the charitable proceeds, with 1/2 going to our research fund.
Although we have soooooooo many people supporting our event, and in no way want to take away from that, I am still in charge, and thus, the pressure is on me. If I don’t put on a good event, we won’t raise enough $ to fund research and find a cure. And until someone relieves that pressure, I don’t really realize that I’ve been under pressure. Well, Grizz and Aimee, one of my first thoughts was: you mean I don’t have to do this alone? Thank you for that. Two added fundraisers to our MPS II Research Fund in one day. Thank you. You’ve probably added a couple years to my life! 🙂
And then this year, our community came. In the past, we haven’t really had this. And when we moved to Lynn Valley last June, we came here because we were looking for community. That was incredibly heartwarming, to put it in a not so teary way. We live on a cul-de-sac, where, if it’s not freezing or pouring rain, all the kids on the street come out to play. We LOVE our street. Even dads whose kids are grown and have moved on, come out to play. Well, our neighbors came. We could have had a block party at T4T. They ALL came. And Trey’s T-ball team and soccer team came too. And that brings me to tears just thinking about it. How much better can your community get than when your entire block of friends and sports teams show up to support Trey and our family.
Because, to be honest, lots of people don’t understand or are uncomfortable or nervous about or scared of difference. And that makes me hesitate when I register Trey for activities or when we go out. Will they be receptive? Will they make negative comments behind our backs or to our faces? Will they ‘get’ us enough or be open enough to become our friends and look past our differences?
So, all my questions and wondering about how and if we will be accepted, were answered yesterday. And it was a yes. A resounding yes. This is where I want to live- a place that is willing to get to know your family, and go to bat for them, regardless of all its differences. Because we need that. And it’s not easy to find. So thank you neighbors and community, for embracing us. You have no idea how much it means (if you were sitting hears watching tears roll down my face while I type, you might have a better idea).
And now I have about 100 other stories I’d like to tell about those who came and those who touched me and those who lifted me up. But then I would be writing a thesis. And then you would need to go eat or wipe bums or sleep or do all of those wonderful things we humans do, and you would not finish reading my blog.
I said yesterday, when I went up to say my thank yous at the mic, that although we may not be able to thank each of you individually, we do want you to know how grateful we are. We hope you know. Because we do not want ANYONE who has supported us, in the hundreds of ways there are to support us, to think we are ungrateful. You are literally helping us save our son’s life. I cannot think of anything that is more meaningful to us than that. So please know that none of your support will be forgotten or taken for granted.
Got hope? You bet. Thank you for helping us hold onto it.
And for those of you who came to the site to find out how much we raised, you’ll have to wait. I have no idea. My wonderful sister, Michelle, is probably still madly counting away. When I know, you’ll know.
Thank you for coming. We love you.

Click here to read the online article, or click here for a PDF.
Thanks Gail!

Check out my profile in Mama Renew, a website dedicated to birth, motherhood, and life as a family: http://www.mamarenew.ca/blog/2010/05/mama-renew-profile-deborah-purcell/

On May 2nd, 2010, in an article entitled ‘Moms look to the future’, the North Shore News gives details about the upcoming MPS Cup and Tacos for Trey fundraisers. Click here to read the article.

We’ve got it, our first promotional DVD for ‘Tacos for Trey’ and the MPS II Research Fund. I don’t want to say too much, I’ll let you watch it, but it does make me even more determined to find a cure. We are the only fund in Canada raising money for MPS II Research. Only 5% of donations go to administration, when most NPO’s put 20-30% towards admin. A little money goes a long way and I promise your money will be put to good use. We are fundraising to save Trey’s life. Please spread the word!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P_rN_MIw0O0

Wow. Only one week away!!!!! The kids are done (Sadie now screams “GET OUT OF HERE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!” when I sit down at the computer), I’m done. But I’m sooooo excited too. There are so many people I’m excited to see and the event is going to be it’s best yet. We have amazing sponsors (see our home page), we couldn’t have gotten better food or drinks, the auction has around or over 100 items, and I think there are so many raffle items that everyone who buys a ticket may just get something! A wonderful Mexican band, Cafe con Leche is coming to play, and we’re providing shakers, so bring your dancing shoes! In addition, we’ve got people coming to teach unicycling, juggling, and the Deaf Children’s Society is coming to teach some basic ASL signs! There’s going to be crafts: beading, making ‘cat’s eyes (with wool and popsicle sticks), coloring and more. There’s going to be floor hockey, soccer, face painting, balloon twisting, parachute games…
And today, I will be picking up the new DVD Frame Rate (www.framerate.ca) has made for us to promote our event and cause, which we will play at T4T on Saturday. Thank you to Kaleena and Galen, who spent hours going through every home and MPS Related video we have, and figuring out what exactly to fit into the 4 minute DVD. So many people have come together last minute to help. Quiznos’ is donating dinner Friday and lunch Saturday for our volunteers, Urban Visuals is donating a huge, high powered projector and Scarab Digital is donating TV’s to play our DVD on. Progress Marketing gave us an awesome deal on getting multiple copies of the DVD made, American Fabricators and SignMaster gave us great rates on getting banners made, and Speedy Printing gave us a great deal on our posters and invites. Danika Dickson, my second cousin, who owns www.chichtocheek.ca and who I would not have found had I not finally joined Facebook, came to my rescue and designed the DVD label when all my other techie/artsy friends are out of town or taking possession of homes etc. It’s pretty unreal, how many people have supported us for this event.
When I went to do voiceovers for the DVD last Tuesday, Kaleena and Galen asked me questions about our journey. They asked me what it means to have all the support we do. Right now, I don’t want to get into it. Because I’ll cry. Because you all have no idea how much it means to us. Every donation, every phone call, message, donated item or volunteered hour. Every hug. You honestly have no idea. You’re helping us save Trey’s life. For those of you who have anyone meaningful in your life, how would you feel if someone helped save their life? Eternally grateful. That’s how we feel. And now I’m getting emotional and am too exhausted to be okay with crying, so I’m hoping the DVD that I’m hoping to get any moment now, will express this to you. Because we could not do this without you. Thank you.
We’re hoping to raise enough $$ to fund one $40,000 research grant, so we need all the support and attendance we can get. So, PLEASE TWEET AND EMAIL AND INVITE FRIENDS ON FACEBOOK AND BY PHONE AND IN PERSON. PLEASE BRING EVERYONE YOU CAN! LOOKING FORWARD TO SEEING YOU THERE!!!!!!!!! Saturday, May 8, from 3-6pm @ Lynn Valley Elementary School in North Vancouver, 3207 Institute Road.
Love Deb