THIS is Grace.

Grace and Brutus Buckeye

This is Grace.  Just a normal, fun loving, funny, kid.

I’ve known Grace since the day she was born.  Actually, even before that.

Grace’s Mom and I work in the same office and we have been friends for over 10 years.  Grace has always kept us laughing.  Her Mom tells the funniest stories of her adventures.  Grace is animated and says the darnedest things.  Really funny.

She’s mostly a good sister to Isabelle.  She loves to dance and play with her American Girl dolls.  She’s a girl scout and a good friend and a sweet girl.

I was with Grace’s Mom a couple of years ago when she got the news that she had been whisked away to the hospital during a routine doctors visit.  Grace’s Mom and I were on a retreat with our office and Grace’s Dad called me.  He couldn’t reach Grace’s Mom on her phone so he called me.

Turns out, they ran a test in the office and found that her sugar was off the charts high.  He took her straight to Childrens Hospital.  They told him that Grace has Type 1 diabetes.

She was there for 3 days.  The peas and I went to visit her.  They asked me, “Does Gracie have cancer?  Is she going to die?”.  I guess to a kid, that’s what it seems like.  I bet Grace felt that way too.  What is this thing, pricking fingers, getting shots – what happened to me?

Remember when I said here that I want to be like Oprah – and I decided to start taking proceeds from my trunk shows and donating them to Childrens Hospital?  Well, that’s what I did today in a round about way.  Today I gave to Grace.  Well, actually, YOU gave to Grace.  You who came to Dotty’s trunk show.  YOU gave to Grace today.

Grace participated in the JDRF (Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation) walk this past weekend.  It was a big success.  Grace helped to raise thousands of dollars that will go towards research in finding a cure.

Graces Dream Team

Grace and her girlfriends

After the walk, that evening, Grace, Grace’s Mom and her sister were all reliving the events of the day and Grace said, “Mom, I hope we don’t have a walk next year”.  Her mom asked why?  Thinking maybe she didn’t have fun but really Grace, in her wisdom way beyond her years said, “I hope there is no walk because I hope by this time next year there is a cure for diabetes”.

Grace’s mom told me that one morning a few months ago, Grace had this same idea.  She woke up and said she had a dream that while at school they called her name on the loud speaker and asked her to come to the office.  Once she got there they told her that she didn’t need insulin anymore and that they had found a cure.

Here’s to no more walks Grace.  Ever.

This is Grace.  Just a normal, fun loving, funny kid.

xoxo,

Trish

ps Got $5 to spare this week?  You can contribute to Grace’s Dream Team by visiting the JDRF website, or just click here to go directly to Grace’s JDRF page Your tax deductable donation goes right to the fabulous researchers who ARE so close to finding a cure for type 1 diabetes.  In Grace’s lifetime, it could be VERY real that it WILL happen.  Help Grace realize her dreams.