Hello Family & Friends
Last year was the first time I registered to participate in the Southlake Run. Just days prior to the event, my father was rushed to the hospital where the doctors had to perform emergency life saving surgery in the middle of the night. I received a call Tuesday morning that my dad was in ICU on life support for the second time in 6 months and this time the medical team wasn’t optimistic about his recovery.
He was 79, recovering from surgery where they had to remove two thirds of his stomach to remove a rare cancer, and experienced a second complication. The doctors and nursing staff in the ICU were phenomenal. Nurse Mike took such a personal interest and care of my father and my father has such a strong constitution that 2 days later I arrived at the ICU to see my father off the breathing tube, off the oxygen, off all the pain meds, and singing! The medical team referred to him as the miracle patient.
Two days later, I participated in the Run for Southlake. Immediately afterwards I went to the hospital and placed my participant's medal on my father’s bed in the step down unit. Thanks to Southlake, the Cancer Unit, emergency doctors and ICU nurses we have my father back. We just celebrated my dad’s 80th birthday at home on Christmas Day. And he finally got his feeding tube removed in February.
So on April 28th I walk. I walk in gratitude of the facility and medical staff; I walk in awe of my father’s strength & resilience; and I ask for your support, so the hospital can continue to ensure that other families get to experience the same second chances with their loved ones that my family and I did.
Help me reach my personal fundraising goal by donating today!
Thank you!