This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of UPS. All opinions are 100% mine.
Do you have a wish for someone? What if I told you that your wish can mean a donation to a charity?
Recently I told you about a special campaign by UPS. Right now and through December 31, 2014, UPS is making $1 donations to one of their charity partners for every wish that is submitted during their #WishesDelivered campaign – up to a $100K total donation. It’s literally as simple as sharing your wish on Instagram or Twitter, or through the #WishesDelivered site, and UPS will make a $1 donation to a charity. I love whenever I have the chance to help others, but even if you don’t have the means to give to others this holiday season, you can still give…just by making a wish.
I would love for you all to submit your wish to UPS and, after you do, I hope you’ll share it with me in the comment area below. I’ve been reading the hashtag #WishesDelivered on Twitter & Instagram and been very touched by the heartfelt wishes that have been submitted.
I’ve thought for a while about what my wish would be. There is so many different things I wish for, but when I start to think about my true wishes, it almost always involves the families of children affected by Batten Disease — a rare brain disease. Children affected suffer mental impairment, seizures, and progressive loss of sight and motor skills. Eventually, children with Batten disease become blind, bedridden and unable to communicate. Sadly, it is always fatal and there is no cure.
I’ve shared before that in January 2012, my father passed away unexpectedly. Five months later, my sister, Brittany, passed away after her battle with Batten Disease. My father was her primary caregiver, and even when she was admitted to a nursing home, my Dad had a strict routine of going to work, then spending hours with Brittany at the nursing home, before heading home each day to go to bed. And then he would repeat the cycle over…every single day.
The organization that provided assistance and emotional support to my Dad and sister was the Batten Disease Support and Research Association (BDSRA), which is the largest support and research organization in North America for families affected by this disease. When dealing with a rare disease — that many doctors and nurses aren’t even familiar with — the support and care of the BDSRA it vital to Batten families.
My holiday wish, that I am submitting to the #WishesDelivered campaign, is for others to learn about the Batten Disease and to consider donating to the BDSRA. Because it’s a are disease, it has a harder time getting the funding it needs toward research for cure. I hope that by posting here on my blog, I can share Batten disease, with at least one person who will share it with another. And, with help, the BDSRA can continue their efforts to eradicate this horrible disease.
If you have any questions about Batten Disease, please also feel free to write me personally or leave a comment. This video below will help you to learn a little about it.
Now that you know my wish, tell me: What’s your wish?
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