Courage and Hope
This past weekend, I spent time with three of the bravest women I know - Linda, Kim, and Gabi. Linda is the co-founder of a non-profit organization called Chelsea's Hope, in honor of her daughter Chelsea who suffers from a rare, terminal disease called Lafora. Her goal was not only to raise awareness and funds for Lafora research, but also to create a place where families affected by this tragic disease could connect and find support. Several families whose children have been diagnosed with Lafora are no longer alone in their struggle thanks to Chelsea's Hope. Last year, the first annual "Chelsea's Hope Mom's Camp" was born.
Kim graciously hosts Mom's Camp at her gorgeous vacation home in one of the most serene settings on earth - the San Juan Islands in the Pacific Northwest. And this year, I got to be one of the campers!
Laughter, tears, joy, sorrow, friendship, respite, love, and most importantly - "hope" are the words that come to mind as I think about the last 4 days. As you can imagine, the trip was filled with every emotion of the rainbow. Linda, Kim, and Gabi each have a daughter suffering from Lafora. The bond that these women share is something only they can truly understand. Of course, I had my camera at the ready to document our time together and probably drove them all crazy trying to get THE shot!