2016 March For Marrow 5K Run & Walk

Almost four years ago, on March 13, 2012, my Mom lost her short 3-month battle with MDS (a very rare bone marrow failure disease affecting less than 1% of the US).  My Mom was my mentor, my idol, my confidant, and my best friend.  She was the kind of person who would drop everything to help a friend or a stranger in need.  She devoted her life to her family, her friends, and the community. 

Her passing shook our world, but following in my mom’s footsteps, I had to do something productive.  That was when I discovered the AA&MDS International Foundation, and more coincidentally, their annual fundraiser, March for Marrow 5K Run and Walk, that was to be held in our own city of Long Beach the following month!  I immediately became involved and spread the world to family and friends and the entire Long Beach community.  Within three weeks, Team Pat Reep had raised more than $20,000 for the Foundation and more than 50 people showed up to walk for Team Pat Reep.  Each year since, we have carried on the tradition of walking and running in memory of Mom, and have raised nearly $15,000 each year.

Three years ago I underwent a bone marrow biopsy, and I was diagnosed with Familial Platelet Disorder with a Predisposition to Myeloid Malignancy (it’s a mouthful, I know).  This means that I carry the rare gene that my mom and her mom had, that has a 45% chance of mutating and causing leukemia or MDS (don’t worry, I won’t let this happen to me :)).  We never knew my mom carried this gene until after she passed away, so lucky for me, we are way ahead of the curve.  I am being monitored on an ongoing basis at the USC Norris Cancer Center by the best team of MDS specialists in the nation, and my health couldn’t be better!

As you can see, this cause is very near and dear to my heart.  I experienced firsthand with my Mom how awful this disease is, and unfortunately because it is so rare and there is very little research, there is no cure.  It is my greatest wish to see progress in this field so that no one has to go through what my mom and family went through.  Please consider walking or running with us on Saturday, April 30^th to raise awareness for MDS, or please consider donating even if it’s one dollar…every dollar counts towards finding a treatment and hopefully even a cure for MDS.  Thank you from the bottom of my heart.

To make a donation, please click here, then choose “Support Me”.

To register for the walk/run, please click here.

My mom was the most kind, generous, loving, and giving woman I have ever known.  She was my best friend.  Everyone who knew her loved her.  She was a leader in the Long Beach community, and devoted much of her time to philanthropic work.  It’s my turn to give back.  Please consider joining me or supporting our cause in honor of my beloved mommy, Pat Reep.

The last picture we took together, 2012

On my wedding day, three months before she passed

Hope, Steps, & A Cure Walk 2015

Three years ago, on March 13, 2012, my Mom lost her short3-month battle with MDS (a very rare bone marrow failure disease affecting less than 1% of the US).  My Mom was my mentor, my idol, my confidant, and my best friend.  She was the kind of person who would drop everything to help a friend or a stranger in need.  She devoted her life to her family, her friends, and the community. 

Her passing shook our world, but following in my mom’s footsteps, I had to do something productive.  That was when I discovered the AA&MDS International Foundation, and more coincidentally, their annual fundraiser 5K Walk/Run that was to be held in our own city of Long Beach the following month!  I immediately became involved and spread the world to family and friends and the entire Long Beach community.  Within three weeks, Team Pat Reep had raised more than $20,000 for the Foundation and more than 50 people showed up to walk for Team Pat Reep.  In 2013 and 2014, we carried on the tradition of walking and running in memory of Mom, and raised nearly $15,000 each year.

Two years ago I underwent a bone marrow biopsy, and I was diagnosed with Familial Platelet Disorder with a Predisposition to Myeloid Malignancy (it’s a mouthful, I know).  This means that I carry the rare gene that my mom and her mom had, that has a 45% chance of mutating and causing leukemia or MDS (don’t worry, I won’t let this happen to me :)).  We never knew my mom carried this gene until after she passed away, so lucky for me, we are way ahead of the curve.  I am being monitored on an ongoing basis at the USC Norris Cancer Center by the best team of MDS specialists in the nation, and my health couldn’t be better!

As you can see, this cause is very near and dear to my heart.  I experienced firsthand with my Mom how awful this disease is, and unfortunately because it is so rare and there is very little research, there is no cure.  It is my greatest wish to see progress in this field so that no one has to go through what my mom and family went through.  Please consider walking or running with us on Saturday, April 25^th to raise awareness for MDS, or please consider donating even if it’s one dollar…every dollar counts towards finding a treatment and hopefully even a cure for MDS.  Thank you from the bottom of my heart.

To make a donation, please click here, then choose “Support Me”.

To register for the walk/run, please click here.

My mom was the most kind, generous, loving, and giving woman I have ever known.  She was my best friend.  Everyone who knew her loved her.  She was a leader in the Long Beach community, and devoted much of her time to philanthropic work.  It’s my turn to give back.  Please consider joining me or supporting our cause in honor of my beloved mommy, Pat Reep.

Two Years Ago

Two years ago today I lost my incredible and beautiful Mommy to Myelodysplastic Syndrome (MDS), a very rare bone marrow failure disease.  This week has been a wild roller coaster ride.  I have been under a lot of stress, I haven’t been sleeping, and I find myself dealing with a multitude of emotions and memories.

On March 10, I remember thinking ‘Two years ago this evening Mom and Dad were supposed to meet me, my hubby, and my younger brother at the Macaroni Grill for dinner.’ That evening, as my hubby, bro and I sat there waiting for Mom and Dad to arrive from the hospital after some routine blood work, I got a call that mom’s platelets dropped again and she was being admitted, but there was nothing to worry about and we should go ahead and eat.  At this point, we still weren’t 100% sure what was going on so there wasn’t much cause for alarm.  On March 11, I remembered two years ago spending the day visiting mom at the hospital.  My aunt and cousin came to visit her too.  Mom still couldn’t come home, and things were rapidly getting worse.  Two years ago yesterday, I relieved Dad, who had spent the last few days by Mom’s side, so he could go home, shower and get some sleep.  Two years ago yesterday in the middle of the night, I had to basically force the night doctor to run a CT because Mom was showing signs her regular doctor/specialist told me to watch for.  Two years ago, I had to make the call at1am to Dad that Mom was being moved to ICU and he and my bro needed to get there ASAP.  They in turned called my big bro to book the next flight out here.  I never left Mom’s side.  Two years ago today, I was holding Mom’s hand as she took her last breath.  Two years ago we picked my big bro up at the airport, and at the first sight of us he fell to his knees.  Two years ago.  Two years.  I don’t even know if that’s a long time or not.  Part of me feels like it was yesterday, and the other part of me feels like it was an eternity ago.

The first year, I was in an uncontrollable emotional state.  I would cry at any moment, but I always remained strong in front of my Dad and brothers.  I had to be there for them, but at home, I would break down and my hubby was there for me.  I needed to listen to Mom’s voicemails on a daily basis just so I wouldn’t forget her voice.  In my career, my work suffered because I wasn’t mentally there.  In my MBA program, I missed many classes including a midterm exam the day after Mom passed.  I was in an almost catatonic and definitely auto-function state:  get up, get dressed, drive to work, drive to school, drive home, go to school.  I wasn’t actively involved in my life, which is very not me.  But then again, who knows how one will react after suddenly losing their Mom, right?

Going into the second year, I realized life is short and I need to make the most of it.  I began to allow myself to smile and remember Mom without the need to break down.  I began focusing more on my husband, who was so busy taking care of me that first year that he barely had time to grieve.  Together we decided to travel somewhere we’ve always wanted to go together:  Italy; and so we did and it was one of the best trips I’ve ever been on.  We adopted two beautiful puppies who are the light of our lives.  I transitioned to a new role at my company, which was the best move for  me career-wise.  I became more involved in my MBA work because I was going to graduate on time as mom expected me to before she left this world, and graduate I did.  I got back into my normal workout routine, and I started eating clean which made my body stronger and healthier.

Today marks the beginning of the third year without my amazing Mom.  I can honestly say that even though I miss her terribly every single day of my life, I can think of her and our memories together and smile.  I was blessed with 25 incredible years with her, and that is something special.  I continue to focus on my husband and my family, my friends, my physical and mental health, career, and experiencing life.  Many things have changed, though, but I know it’s going to be a wonderful year full of many blessings and adventures.  And I know, above all, that Mom will be with me every step of the way.

The very first picture Mom and I took together right after I was born (1986)

The very last picture Mom and I took together (2012)