It has been almost two years since I started fundraising for Oligo research. In round numbers, my family’s efforts have raised close to $200,000, which is a startling number when I think about it.
But, the truth is that this number says much more about the people who have responded to my call for help than it does about me.
I always held a good opinion of people. However, over the past few years I have had to revise—up, way up—my beliefs in this area. Throughout my fundraising efforts, so many people have done truly extraordinary things that I could never have anticipated.
And are these incredible acts have been limited to the “usual suspects”(i.e. family and close friends). No, far from it.
People I haven’t seen in decades and complete strangers have answered our call for help in many different ways. I can think of dozens of examples of this, but let me share just one with you today.
This story captures, as well as any, why I have such faith that we can make the Oligo research effort successful. It started when I went to my college reunion for the first time in 20 years. At our class dinner, a good friend of mine was abo