My dad, James, was diagnosed with scleroderma in 2008. I will never forget the day my parent's told me the news. I remember thinking, "my dad has what? Scleroderma"? I had never heard of such a disease and for days I couldn't even spell it. There was not a lot of information about the disease and so my mom and I took it upon ourselves to seek out answers. My mom read books, joined chat groups, talked to doctors. I spent hours on the internet Googling the term and trying to figure how this disease would affect my dad. Gradually as he saw more and more doctors and as my mom read more and more books on the subject, the information started setting in. My dad would never be cured of this disease and he would most likely die from the complications associated to it.
For close to 6 years my dad suffered with scleroderma. He had countless hospitalizations, procedures, doctors' appointments, dialysis treatments, sleepless nights, pain and throughout it all he always thanked God for another day. On December 11, 2013 while in the hospital my dad decided that he had fought long enough. With my mother by his side he decided to end his 3 year run with dialysis treatments and stop his tube feedings. He came home that evening and 3 days later my dad, mom and I celebrated our last Christmas together. My dad passed away at home on December 18, 2013.
The Scleroderma foundation and this walk are very important for my family and I. We are involved because there is a great need to spread more awareness and raise money for research so that one day we might have a cure. I walk not only in honor of my dad but for every person suffering from this disease. Thank you everyone, from the bottom of my heart. Thank you for supporting Team Martinez.
To learn more about the Scleroderma Foundation, please visit national.scleroderma.org today!