HEY FRIENDS.

There are a few unchanging truths about me as a human being:

I love Stephen Colbert
Yes, I want to see a picture of your golden retriever puppy, did you really have to ask?
I hate exercise

Here’s the catch about me and exercise, though: I’ll do it for a good reason. Usually, that reason is to get my doctors off my back.

I have a really good new reason though. In 10 days, I’m going to walk and raise money for my all time favorite charity, Dysautonomia International.

YES. I’m willing to walk a mile in the middle of June for them, because here are some of the things they’ve done for me:

They provided me with information about dysautonomia and POTS, teaching me what my previous doctors could not
They connected me with my cardiologist (one of the top POTS experts in the world)
They provided doctors with powerful education seminars and tools to give them the information they need to accurately diagnose and treat dysautonomia
They introduced me to hundreds of people and made me feel so much less alone in this disorder that went undiagnosed for 10 years
They provided me with the best support system I could imagine (love y’all)
They empowered me to be a stronger self-advocate not only in my doctors’ offices but with my own government
They gave me opportunities to volunteer and give back to my community
They fund tons of research studies
They gave me opportunities to participate IN those research studies

SO HERE’S WHERE *YOU* COME IN.

Dysautonomia and POTS are so, so common but barely have any recognition or funding.

In the United States, an estimated 1 to 3 million Americans have POTS. By comparison, 400,000 people in the United States live with Multiple Sclerosis, and 1 million have Parkinson’s. Nearly everyone is familiar with MS and Parkinson’s—as we should be!

I want POTS to have the same recognition and funding as MS, as Parkinson’s. I want every disorder that affects and take so much from so many to have adequate funding for research.

I want it so badly that I’m willing to do what I hate most in the world—

Walking.

In the middle of June.

So, will you sponsor me?

I know a mile doesn’t seem like much, but I currently do about 15 minutes of cardio every day on my recumbent bike—and walking a mile will be a huge challenge for me.

One of my cardiologists told me, “You will never enjoy exercise, your body was designed to hate it.” I suffer from excruciating back pain when I go walking in addition to tachycardia, sweating, joint pain, weird tingling sensations and general grumpiness. (Tell me you wouldn’t be grumpy if everything in your body hurt.) But the statement this makes: that I’m doing what I can, that I’m on my way to recovery every day, and helping Dysautonomia International in the process? Let’s do it, man.

It would mean the world to me if you could spare a couple of dollars for Dysautonomia International—I volunteer what I can to this amazing organization that changes lives, and if you could help us continue what we do with a donation—I would appreciate it so much.

Donate Here

I realize this was a bit long. But that’s a fourth fundamental truth about me—I have difficulties being concise.

Thanks, y’all.