All I Want is a Healthy Child by Christine Gerani

Lori and her son Greg

How many times have you heard that? Nobody cares if your child is a boy or girl as long as he or she is healthy and thriving. Unfortunately for the millions of parent’s that have children with genetic disorders, they suffer everyday with the fact that they might outlive their kids. Lori of Merrick is one of those Moms who worry’s every day. “It does make me crazy to think that my Greg may already have gone through 1/3 of his life. I know that nobody knows our time here on this Earth. The times I let myself think too much… I cry, get mad, all of that.”

Lori’s son Greg has Cystic Fibrosis.

Greg will be 12 years old Saturday, May 29 and will be in the 7^th Grade at Merrick Ave. Middle School in September. He is ‘The Ultimate Yankee Fan’, and is on PAL Baseball and a member of the youth Bowling League. He loves Old WW II, monster and adventure movies. Along with his older brother Matt,13 and dad Tommy, this family is just like any other, except this family fights everyday to find a cure so that they can enjoy the one thing that should never be taken for granted…life.

Please join Lori, her husband Tommy, and sons Matt and Greg at the Great Strides Walk Saturday May 22^nd at Hostra University at 9am.

If you can’t make it Saturday please click here to donate to Lori’s GREAT STRIDES Home Page and help make a difference in Greg’s life.

Greg speaking at last years walk alongside his dad Tommy

*For more information about Cystic Fibrosis please visit http://www.cff.org/AboutCF/

*Cystic Fibrosis is an inherited chronic disease that affects the lungs and digestive system of about 30,000 children and adults in the United States (70,000 worldwide). A defective gene and its protein product cause the body to produce unusually thick, sticky mucus that:

• clogs the lungs and leads to life-threatening lung infections; and
• obstructs the pancreas and stops natural enzymes from helping the body break down and absorb food.

In the 1950s, few children with cystic fibrosis lived to attend elementary school. Today, advances in research and medical treatments have further enhanced and extended life for children and adults with CF. Many people with the disease can now expect to live into their 30s, 40s and beyond.

Check out Greg’s YouTube Video last year promoting the 2009 Great Strides Walk at Hofstra University!

Local Teens Prove One Is Greater Than None

Contributed by Long Island Parent Magazine

Many people want to make a difference in society, but they become overwhelmed by all the causes in need, so wind up doing nothing. For eight Long Island teenagers that was an unacceptable outcome. They believed that any contribution, no matter how small, has value, and that even helping just one person makes a difference. Their conviction has led them to help 48 children in Ghana, and 1,012 Americans, through their organization One Is Greater Than None—which they founded when they were only 14.

Kayla Barnofsky (16), Hayley and Jessica Feldman (17), Ariel Stern (16), Samantha Walnick (16), Samantha Malis (16) and Anjelica Mantikas (17), live in Merrick and attend John F. Kennedy High School in Bellmore; Chelsea Genden (17), attends Lynbrook High School.

In 2007, the friends were searching for a cause to support when they were moved by an Oprah episode that talked about children from Ghana, Africa, who are unwittingly sold into slavery for as little as $20 by their families. They were unanimous in their decision that they would work with the International Organization for Migration (IOM) to sponsor rescue missions to save these children.

“We learned it would cost about $4,300 to save one child by providing rehabilitation and reuniting them with their families,” says Samantha Walnick. “We decided to make bracelets and package them on cards that would educate people about what was going on in the fishing villages of Ghana.”

It took them a while to figure out what materials worked best. And then they made enough bracelets to sell outside of Borders one weekend afternoon.

“From a parent’s perspective, I thought it was really cute that they were doing this, and I figured they’d maybe raise a few hundred dollars,” says Ariel’s mom Shari. “And of course we’d support them and do what we could. We moms were shocked when they earned $1,000 that day.”

Adds Angelica’s mom, Eleni: “It was also shocking the amount of negativity they received from people. That first day a man gave them $50 and told them `even though I know it’s a hopeless cause.’ If it were me I would have been upset, but it inspired them even more.”

From there the girls designed a necklace and T-shirts with their logo, 1>0, and their tag line “Be Part of the Equation,” which were sold at Bloomingdales, boutiques nationwide, and on their Web site, www.oneisgreaterthannone.org.

To date the girls have raised over $120,000 to help return 24 children to their families and have sponsored another 24 orphaned children through the Touch a Life Foundation in Ghana. In addition, in response to people who asked them why they don’t do something to help people in their own country, the girls began working with Remote Area Medical (RAM), which supplies free medical care to people in impoverished rural areas.  The girls have already sponsored one clinic in Grundy, VA, and will soon be sponsoring and volunteering at another in New Jersey. Click here to read the full article!

READER CHALLENGE:
We need you, our readers, to “Be Part of the Equation” and help One Is Greater Than None sponsor another (RAM) Remote Area Medical Rural America Clinic. Our goal for February and March is to raise at least $3,500. (Just think: If 350 families each donated $10 we’d reach our goal quickly.) Just click here www.oneisgreaterthannone.org or send a check payable to One Is Greater Than None, PO Box 528, Merrick, NY 11566. Just put Long Island Parent in the memo line. One Is Greater Than None is a registered 501 c 3. Thank you for supporting the girls’ mission.

Click the banner below to find out how you can make a difference!