Monday, May 27, 2024

An Unexpected Party and A Long-Expected Party

NF Update:  An Unexpected Party

On a late afternoon earlier this month, I got an urgent email from the Children’s Tumor Foundation looking for supporters in the New York area who could come into the city the next morning.  CTF had been given a last minute opportunity to ring the Opening Bell at the New York Stock Exchange!  I jumped at the chance—what a fantastic way to celebrate NF Awareness Month!  Jane couldn’t join me because she had her AP US History exam the following day :(

The NYSE had a large boardroom set up just for us

Leanna Scaglione was chosen as the bell ringer.
She lives with NF2 and runs with the NF Endurance Team--we ran
the NYC Half Marathon together this year.
This amazing woman had brain surgery for NF2 just two months before the race!



Simon Vukelj, Chief Marketing Office of the Children's Tumor Foundation
(and my Yale '92 classmate!)


The Exchange had the CTF logo everywhere!


Our view from the bell podium





With Barbara Gallagher, a VP at CTF, who also ran the NYC Half with me

We got to "tag" the wall as we left the podium

My contribution :)



Simon and me

On the red carpet

They even had the CTF logo on the building outside!

I stopped to take some pictures with Fearless Girl



CTF wrote about the event in its May newsletter.  And you can see the video here:


As NF Awareness Month comes to a close, we are still waiting on final results from NIH (from our visit a month ago!)  I hope to be able to post them soon.


Helen Update:  A Long-Expected Party

Helen graduated from Mount Holyoke College this week!  We are so proud of her and her accomplishments!

Preparing for the Laurel Parade.
Held the day before graduation, the Laurel Parade is a ceremony in which graduates walk through the campus draped in laurels and are cheered on by MHC alumna.



Helen with friends





With both Grandmas!




Dinner after the Laurel Parade

Commencement!



A big hug from Jane







Walking through the Gates.
It's considered bad luck to walk through the Gates before you've graduated.
Not for Helen anymore!


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