Jason's Letter about WALK83.01

Jason has shared this, so you can personalize it for yourself.

All,

I hope you've all had a beautiful summer as we head into Labor Day weekend. 

As many of you know, for the last several years, I have done some fundraising to benefit the Crohn's and Colitis Foundation. With your help, I have raised more than $77,000 across the 2018-2021 fundraisers (and picked up some first and second place finishes in the nation along the way). This is truly staggering, and I remain grateful for all of your support over the years. 

This year, I will be raising money for PSC Partners, which, among other things, sponsors research studies and brings awareness to Primary Sclerosing Cholangitis (PSC), a rare autoimmune liver disease with which I was diagnosed in 2012. 

PSC is a chronic disease that slowly damages the bile ducts. In patients with PSC, the bile ducts become blocked due to inflammation and scarring or fibrosis (advanced stages of fibrosis are known as cirrhosis, which results in reduced blood flow through the liver). This causes bile to accumulate in the liver, and as cirrhosis progresses and the amount of scar tissue in the liver increases, the liver slowly loses its ability to function properly. The scar tissue may block drainage of the bile ducts, which may lead to acute infections. 

Approximately 70% of patients with PSC also have inflammatory bowel disease (like me). Symptoms associated with PSC may include, among others, fatigue, itching, jaundice, abdominal pain, nausea, and mental confusion. Approximately 50,000 people in the U.S. have PSC. (I'm a bit of a medical phenomenon.) 

My PSC has grown increasingly problematic over the last 15 months and has resulted in five (!) hospitalizations since June 2021. I've had the pleasure (sarcasm!) of spending 16 nights in the hospital as my care team has had to address internal bleeding (related to a clot in one of the primary veins that brings blood to my liver from my small intestine), acute episodes of cholangitis (basically when I get sick because the bile in my liver isn't draining properly), and two procedures to place a stent in and later remove my gallbladder.

As a result of these various episodes and the accelerating progression of my disease, I was placed on the liver transplant list on June 8th. More on that to come in a separate email. 

Until July 31, 2023, PSC Partners is hosting its third annual WALK83.01 (K83.01 is the disease code for PSC). This year, the organization has set a fundraising target of $135,000.

I have set a personal goal to raise $20,000 and I would be honored if you would consider joining me this year. Here are some suggested donation amounts:

$83.01: $1 for the PSC disease code

$100: $10 for each pill I take daily

$250: $50 per hospitalization I've had since June 2021

$1,000: Because this disease, well, can be miserable

If you prefer to take an alternative (and potentially riskier) approach to your donation, you can sponsor me on a per mile walked basis over the course of the walk. I typically average between 4-5 miles per day. I will be tracking my total miles for June and July and will let you know at the end of the month how many miles I've walked. For example, if I average 5 miles per day (150 miles for the month) and you sponsor me at $3/mile, that would equate to a $450 donation. Please let me know if you'd like to go this route and your per mile donation. Be warned that I have been known to go on 10+ mile hikes on the weekend.

You may make a donation by following this link. If you work for a company that matches donations, I would be grateful if you would consider submitting your gift so we can maximize the impact.

If you'd like to join my team (Walking for A Cure) and solicit donations from your own friends and family, you may do so here.

Thank you for all your love and support, financial and otherwise. Please let me know if you have any questions or issues with the site, or if I can provide more information about my condition. 

Love,

Jason

Template Invitation to Join Your Team

Personalize this for you.

Dear NAME,

Join me and PSC Partners staff, board members, and community on our mission to raise awareness and funds for PSC during our WALK83.01 fundraising event!

It’s simple – walk, run, hike, swim, kayak, or move a total of 83.01 miles (or kilometers) from June 1 – July 31 in support of primary sclerosis cholangitis (PSC) research. I’d love to have you be a part of my team as we work together to find treatments and a cure.

CLICK THIS LINK to view my fundraising page and join my team!

If you’d like to simply donate instead, CLICK THIS LINK.

Thank you for your time and support of PSC Partners. It’s time to get moving to find a cure for PSC!

Sincerely,

PARTICIPANT NAME

Donation Solicitation Template

Feel free to personalize this donation solicitation for you.

Dear NAME,

Join me and PSC Partners staff, board members, and community on our mission to raise awareness and funds for PSC during our WALK83.01 fundraising event!

It’s simple – walk, run, hike, swim, kayak, or move a total of 83.01 miles (or kilometers) from June 1 – July 31 in support of primary sclerosis cholangitis (PSC) research.

If moving isn’t your thing, making a simple donation works great, too! I have personally committed to donate at least $83.01, and I challenge you to do the same. Funds from WALK83.01 go directly toward research and funding research projects that aim at finding effective treatments and a cure for PSC. CLICK THIS LINK to view my personal fundraising page.

For more information about WALK83.01 and to donate or join a team, CLICK THIS LINK.

Thank you for your time and support of PSC Partners. It’s time to get moving to find a cure for PSC!

Sincerely,

PARTICIPANT NAME