Friday, September 08, 2006

Emma Update and CHOC Walk

Dear Family and Friends,

Emma is doing so well. She has several teeth now and is becoming quite vocal. While it will remain difficult to talk with a trach, she has discovered that she can make noises. It is quite cute. She has been making good progress with her physical therapy as well. She is able to balance herself with a little help on a large ball and can hold herself up on a box with some support. Since mommy went back to work, Emma has done well with both grandmas babysitting. Daddy even took a shift on Tuesday. This weekend marks this 1 year anniversary of CHOC saving Emma’s life. On September 10, 2005 we almost lost our little girl, but through the heroic efforts of so many nurses and doctors, we get to experience all these joys today. We are so thankful to CHOC and their staff and want to give back. We will be participating in the annual CHOC Walk on October 8th. If you would like to sponsor us or participate yourself, please let me know. There is no pressure; we just wanted to let you know of the opportunity. Below is all the information. Thank you once again for your prayers and support over the past 14 months.

Thank you, Mark, Alissa, and Emma


We are participating in the 16th Annual CHOC/Disneyland Resort Walk in the Park on Sunday October 8. As a walker, we’re trying to raise as much money as we can to help the children of CHOC. Children's Hospital of Orange County is very special to our family. As you know, they helped save Emma’s life. We want to give back as much as possible. After spending a total of 10 months in the hospital, we know first hand how special CHOC is. CHOC is a place where any child can receive the medical attention they need, regardless of their ability to pay. Last year, the CHOC Walk raised over $1 Million to help pay for this medical care and this year our goal is to raise even more! This is a unique opportunity to make a difference in the lives of the 150,000 children who visit CHOC each year. If you are interested in donating, here is the link. CHOC WALK. Click on sponsor a registered walker and our registrant id’s are mdford1973 for Mark and yoyosmommy for Alissa. If you prefer you can also give a check directly to us made out to CHOC. If you are interested in walking with us, let us know ASAP so that we can get you the information to signup. We need at least 4 more walkers for Emma’s Entourage. It will be a great event and will benefit so many kids.