It's time once again for the "Stepping Out To Cure Scleroderma Walk." I am asking for your support, by donating to this cause in my honor!! As of this date there still is NO cure. There are over 300 hundred thousand people in the US alone with this disease, including women, men and children and all nationalities as well (but it is still considered a RARE Disease)They have some advances in treatments, but more research is ongoing. So I am asking you to PLEASE donate and help fund more research for this Rare Disease.
It has been 14 1/2 years since I was diagnosed with Scleroderma and Rheumatid Arthritis. And now Sjogren's disease has decided to jump on my auto-immune bandwagon!! Having these 3 diseases has given me alot of challenges, and I have had to make alot of adjustments on how I live my life! There are overlapping of symptoms with these diseases, such as joint pain and swelling. But I have alot more problems with the scleroderma, such as skin thickening and swelling on hands and fingers, raynauds ( which causes the blood vessels in my fingers & toes to constrict and change colors, cold things and weather make this worse), difficulty swallowing (due to tightening of the esophagus), a lot of acid reflux, pulmonary fibrosis/defused lungs (due to over production of collagen and scar tissue, which causes a lot of breathing problems), pumonary hypertension (due to the right side of my heart pumping harder to get blood to my lungs). Although my scleroderma is stable now, I do have "flare ups" that cause alot of pain and swelling. sometimes so bad that all I can do is stay in bed! On these days I thank God for giving me courage to get through it. Even the simplest things most of you take for granted are hard for me, such as buttoning things, tying shoes, opening a bottle of water/soda or a jar, carrying heavy objects, walking up a hill, or even go up and down a flight of stairs. I know my limitations, and some days I push that limit to far!!! Most of you that know me, know I hate to ask for help, I just do what I can on my own. If I am asked to help, I try and do what I can (even if I am hurting). I try not to plan things or except invitations to far in advance, because sometimes I do have to cancel at the last minute (then I feel horrible). I try to keep a positive attitude and remember that there are people out there that have it worse then I do.
My Mantra is- With pain comes strength, I have scleroderma, But it does not have me!!!
I have a wonderful support system with my amazing family, good friends and physicians. Which I am so very thankful for. I am also thankful for the Omaha Scleroderma Support Group and the Heartland Chapter of the Scleroderma Foundation. Without this group I call my Scleroderma family, I would be lost! With this group we are spreading the word about Scleroderma, by having booths at Health Fairs and "The Stepping Out To Cure Scleroderma Walk" and also our bi-monthly meetings. I truely am blessed to have so many wonderful people supporting me.........
I want to Thank you all for your continued support!
So PLEASE DONATE! Because by donating to this walk, you are helping ME, by funding research to find a CURE for ME!! And all of us affected with this debilitating disease.
Thank you so much,
Teri Fuhs
Many thanks for your support -- and don't forget to forward this to anyone who you think might want to donate too!i
We Got the Gold!!!
The Scleroderma Foundation is pleased to announce that we have demonstrated a commitment to transparency by being awarded Gold Participant status on Guidestar. A national charity that ranks
nonprofits, Guidestar provides current and comprehensive information to potentials donors. Guidestar is generally regarded as the preeminent online destination of donors when researching nonprofits.
Donating through this website is simple, fast and totally secure. It is also the most efficient way to support my fundraising efforts.
All contributions are for the Scleroderma Foundation to use to help find a cure for those whose lives have been affected by scleroderma. If you would like to find out more about scleroderma and the Foundation, please visit national.scleroderma.org.
Many thanks for your support -- and don't forget to forward this to anyone who you think might want to donate too!