Dear Member  


As the details of the horrifying events at the Boston Marathon continue to unfold, we at the MDSC, like so many of you, are still reeling.  

 

The MDSC has always been immensely proud of our dedicated marathon runners for their courage and determination to make a difference. This year, due to the extraordinary circumstances and tragedy, our runners had to face an unexpected challenge beyond the 26.2 mile run. Many of our runners and their families and friends were close to the finish line and experienced the confusion, horror and anxiety that the explosions caused. We are very thankful that each and every one of our runners and their families were unharmed.

 

The MDSC is as determined as ever to celebrate the amazing accomplishments of these runners and not let this unfortunate act of cruelty undermine the determination, strength, and spirit of what our marathon team stands for. Our heartfelt thoughts and well wishes go out to each and every runner and their families and friends as well as to all those affected by Monday's tragedy.

 

Janis Frazer's Marathon tee, signed by all of her donors 
Many in the MDSC community and friends from the Down syndrome community across the nation extended their concern for our runners during this difficult time, including Mark Leach of Down Syndrome of Louisville, Deanna Tharpe of DSAIA, Stephanie Meredith of Lettercase Media, our partners at the NDSC and too many others to mention.
One such person was our friend, Dr. Brian Chicoine, of the groundbreaking Adult Down Syndrome Center in Park Ridge, Illinois. "Just want to let you know we are thinking of you today," he wrote us. "Being able to run in the Boston Marathon is a long-held dream of mine that lack of speed and injuries force me to leave it as a dream. However, it saddens me to think of someone hurting so many and choosing an event that brings so many together in sacrifice and so many who are raising support for charities." Thank you to everyone who thought of us and reached out!
 

I want to personally thank the Yasmin Cruz of the John Hancock Non-Profit Marathon Program, who secured our marathon spots, and Susan Hurley of Charity Teams, who coached our team and supported our runners before and during the race. I also want to thank

our development team members, Angela Ortiz and Becca Canavan, and Cheering Section organizers Ashley Coates and Lisa and Andy Majewski. 

 

As an organization, we consider ourselves incredibly lucky. This is perhaps highlighted best by the story of Emily LaMarca, pictured above with her children Just last week, Emily held her first ever Run4Cole, a community fundraiser in her hometown of Clinton, named for her 6-year-old son with Down syndrome. The funds raised went toward her Team MDSC fundraising goal, and the event was a huge success. 

 

On Monday, things could have turned tragic for Emily, except for "a bunch of small coincidences," she wrote on Facebook that night. This included that "the MDSC gave [my husband] Mark and the kids passes for the bleachers, so he wasn't in his usual spot at the finish," and that she suffered a minor leg injury at mile 21 that prevented her from crossing the finish line at a potentially dangerous time. "Thank God for little things that kept my family safe." That is exactly how all of us at the MDSC feel.    

 

Now, please join me in thanking and congratulating all 14 of our marathon team members. We are forever grateful for everything that they have done to support our critical mission.

Let's Not Forget Our Runners' Achievements...  
 

Despite everything that happened Monday, we do not want to lose sight of the amazing accomplishments achieved by each and every one of our "Team Get Real" marathoners. They are: 

 

James Davis, Jeff Pransky, Sarah McKitterick, Emily LaMarca, Josefina Oliva (below), Janis Frazer, Sharlene Grant, Alan Siegel (right), Edward Hulten, Laura Perron (right), Christine Nagy, Kristine Cox, Cheryl Bechunas and Jane Bisaillon.

 

They are truly heroes for running for such a worthy cause. (See bottom for brief bios on some of these runners). Together, they have raised more than $61,000 to support the MDSC and programs like Advocates in Motion, Parent's First Call, Public Policy initiatives, the Self-Advocate Advisory Council, the Allen C. Crocker Self-Advocate Internship, Medical Provider outreach, and our Educator's Forum and Annual Conference. 

 

They have also played a significant role in raising awareness about what it means to have Down syndrome. On Sunday, the day before the Marathon, two of our runners, James Davis and his husband Jeff Pransky, were featured in a Boston Globe story, "Heartfelt Causes are Fueling Their Marathon Runs." James' sister Christy, who had Down syndrome, died in 2011. "The MDSC's work is incredibly important - they've changed the way people view folks with Down syndrome," James told the Globe.

  

A dear, close friend of the MDSC's, Laurie Maranian, has run the Boston Marathon for Team MDSC several times. She understands more than most how difficult Monday's events were for our runners, wherever they were when the explosions happened:  

 

"Like many runners before me, I have left [everything] on the Boston Marathon course. Not just on race day, but during countless training runs and hill workouts. It is a place that has allowed me moments where I have taken great pride in my accomplishments as well as many moments of humility. It is a place that has brought me friendships and life-long bonds with other runners. Today, I am saddened that YOUR moments, the 2013 runners' moments, have been marred. I hope you are able to still take pride in the training that has brought you to this day and that, as time passes, you will come to a place that will allow you to cherish the experience of getting to race day. It is still an amazing accomplishment that no one can take away from you. If I know runners, they are a courageous and resilient group. They stick together in the face of adversity and they will be back to honor this great race and the lives of those who were tragically taken today. You are all my heroes." 

 

 

Josefina Oliva raised more than $6,000 for the MDSC's programs

 

And That Our MDSC Community Came Out In Force 

 

Not much can compare to the heart and courage of the Team MDSC runners themselves. Except that the community members who supported them, whether financially or by coming out to the course yesterday, are right up there. 


The MDSC Cheering Section, which was set up at the corner of Chesterfield Street and Commonwealth Ave. in Newton, was buzzing all day with excitement and exuberance. As the MDSC's Ashley Coates, who was manning the Cheering Section, put it, "it was
 such an amazing representation of the way the MDSC supports our families." 

 

Sharlene Grant's daughter Eve (above left) came with a t-shirt that read, "My Mom runs faster than your Dad!" and a poster that said "Go Mom, Go MDSC!" Sharlene even stopped for a bite of a turkey sandwich with Eve, just the sustenance she needed to keep on chugging. 

  

Kaltrina Jashari was there with her mom and dad, Kate and Luan Jashari. Kate was college roommates with Janis Frazer (hugging above right), and Kaltrina became Janis' reason for running for the MDSC. All of the Jasharis gave Janis huge hugs and smiles to keep her motivated. 

  

Also at the Cheering Section were AIM participant, Amy Polewarczyk, and her mom, Cathy. Amy made a fantastic poster with Katie Dever, another self-advocate and daughter of one our newest board members, Dr. Kim Dever. 

 

Self-advocates Brendan Durkin (whose mom, Ann Bersani is on our board) was there, as was Brian Heffernan, who biked over with his dad, Dan. Self-Advocate Advisory Council member Louis Sciuto (above middle), the son of board chair Louise Borke, was also there. 

 

MDSC Honorary Board members Lisa and Andy Majewski provided delicious sandwiches and snacks for everyone. Their son Ben, a self-advocate who works at Mass General Hospital's Down Syndrome Program, and his girlfriend, Beth, handed out Twizzlers to the runners giving them the boost they needed to tackle the hills ahead.

  

Then, there was a new family, Heather Wilde and her mom, Brenda, who just moved to the Bay State from North Carolina. It happened to be Heather's birthday, and we were honored that she chose to spend it with other MDSCers, celebrating by cheering on our runners and having a few treats from the vendors. 

  

At the end of the day, the group was joined by Joanne Kay, who along with her husband Stanley, have been longtime MDSC supporters. She helped cheer on the last runners of the day and clean up our patch of grass. 

  

Even with the tragic events, we want to keep alive the spirit of the day as exhibited by the runners and all the supporters who came out, bonded and supported our community. That's why we have asked on our Facebook page that you share your POSITIVE 2013 Boston Marathon photos with us. For now, at least, we are putting aside the tragic aspects of Monday's race so as to give these champions their due. 

 

Help us fill our page with images of what the MDSC and the Boston Marathon is meant to be about!

 

Team MDSC runner Sarah McKitterick at Monday's race with friends she met during training for the marathon. "They really helped me through the whole experience - including the events on Monday," Sarah said.

 

Accessing the Help You and Your Family Need

  

There are, of course, as many ways to cope with Monday's events as there are individuals. We want to be sure that everyone has access to the help they need. Here some resources that you may find helpful as you and your family members process this tragedy: 

If you believe you or someone you know might have seen ANYTHING that could help investigators, please contact the Boston Police Tip Line at 1-800-494-TIPS or the task force tip line at 617-223-6610. You can also email boston@ic.fbi.gov. The Boston Globe has put together a wonderful list of ways that people can help, including how to make donations to families and funds.

 

Many have noted in the wake of this tragedy - as with other tragedies in the past - that despite the obvious heartbreak, there is also a great deal that is heartening in peoples' responses. The late children's television host Fred Rogers expressed this idea poignantly: "When I was a boy and I would see scary things in the news, my mother would say to me, 'Look for the helpers. You will always find people who are helping.'" That was absolutely evident yesterday.  

 

The Strength of Our City and Our Community! 

  

President Obama on Monday evening spoke to the strength of our city, a strength that is shared by the Down syndrome community and the broader disability community. "Today is a holiday in Massachusetts -- Patriots' Day. It's a day that celebrates the free and fiercely independent spirit that this great American city of Boston has reflected from the earliest days of our nation. And it's a day that draws the world to Boston's streets in a spirit of friendly competition. Boston is a tough and resilient town. So are its people. I'm supremely confident that Bostonians will pull together, take care of each other, and move forward as one proud city."

 

With this sense of connectedness, our MDSC community will move forward, and we will strive to do it in a healthy, compassionate way. We are currently in the process of planning an event for Team MDSC runners and their family members to gather together in a safe environment to connect and share about their marathon experiences, good and bad. This will be an informal event, but a professional counselor will be available as well.

 

We are incredibly appreciative of what all of the runners have done to support the MDSC, our critical programs and people with Down syndrome in Massachusetts and beyond. And we are thankful to be a part of such a loving community in which so many reached out in the wake of this tragedy to share your thoughts, prayers and well-wishes with our runners, their families and supporters. 

 

Kindness defines our community, and it is this very kindness that has gotten us at the MDSC off on the right foot toward healing.  

 

 

Sincerely,  

 

 


Executive Director

 

MDSC Boston Marathon: Love & Marathons
MDSC Boston Marathon: Love & Marathons
 
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