Team Magnuson Team Page

Dear family and friends,
I hope this note finds you staying well and finding some joy in each day as we all deal with confinement during the coronavirus pandemic.

In February, my husband David and I were lucky enough to visit Washington, D.C. on behalf of scleroderma patients from around the country as part of Rare Disease Week. (You can watch a short recap video from Rare Disease Week here: https://youtu.be/P9yRNcczrRc)

It was a privilege to share my story with Rep. Jim McGovern, Rep. Joe Kennedy III and other members of Massachusetts’ Congressional delegation. As encouraging as the response was on Capitol Hill, though, I came away with a new appreciation for just how important efforts like the Worcester Scleroderma Walk are. We’re not just raising awareness, we’re paving the way for the research grants that are so critical to any hope of a medical breakthrough.

We need that breakthrough. In the past year, we’ve lost two more members of our Worcester Scleroderma Family to complications from the disease.

Jane Nelson passed away in November. I didn’t know her that well, but she was a regular at our walks. What I remember most is her beautiful smile and her words of comfort.

Dr. Monica Pacifico lost her battle in March. She and I had become very close over the years. Most of our “visits” were regular phone calls. Our last conversation was just days before I got the sad news.

My son Eric started the Worcester Scleroderma Walk at Bancroft School in 2003. For 17 years, the walk was held on the same weekend in early May.

I missed everyone at last year’s walk, as I was recovering from having my aortic valve replaced. It has been a long recovery, with so many other issues from scleroderma getting in the way. But I’m doing well, and I was looking forward to walking together with everyone this year in beautiful sunny and warm weather, on the walk’s new date, Sunday, June 14th.

Well, we still can…but the 2020 Worcester Scleroderma Walk will be a VIRTUAL WALK.

What is a Virtual Walk? Whether walking in the park, down the street or on a treadmill, we can make it work and have fun doing it! Life is certainly different this year, but the scleroderma community needs us more than ever to fulfill the promise to provide support, education and research. We can't miss a step in fundraising this year.

Thank you to everyone for continuing to support the Worcester Scleroderma Walk, and I hope that we will all see each other again soon.

Debbie (TEAM MAGNUSON)