For six years, the Rackliffes have been gathering together at the holidays not simply to share a family meal and exchange gifts but to discuss, collectively, opportunities by which they can give to others in need. This year, it was Sarah’s turn to choose the charity for her family –as they exchange this task each year. According to Sarah it’s very important for families to support a charitable cause each year. Sarah says, “I think there comes a time in all families that gift giving becomes more of a chore and hassle than the fun and exciting event it used to be as children. We decided as a family to take the money we would normally spend on presents for each other, and choose a charity to donate to each year… I think it is important for families to support causes each year because it puts your own wants and needs in perspective. There are so many people in this world who go without, or who are suffering on a daily basis.”
For Sarah, choosing AARDA as her charity of choice was personal to both herself and her family. Autoimmune diseases have a long history in this family with various members suffering from multiple sclerosis, Crohn’s disease, lupus, rheumatoid arthritis (RA), psoriasis, psoriatic arthritis, type 1 diabetes, and Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis. Furthermore, autoimmune diseases are a part of her work life as she works in hemodialysis and nearly 50 percent of her patients have type 1 diabetes which often has been the cause of in the development of kidney failure in those patients.
Kudos to this wonderful family for remembering the true spirit of the holidays and representing perfectly AARDA’s 2010 annual appeal campaign, “We are 50 million.” They represent many of the 50 million Americans who have autoimmune diseases; yet they themselves are taking steps to make a real difference in advancing the cause of autoimmune disease research, awareness, and education. It’s up to all of us to support the cause so that we can one day find a cure.
If you would like to follow the Rackliffe family’s tradition of giving this year or next, here is some advice from Sarah. “I think if you choose to support a cause, it should be something important and personal to you and your family. It will make donating a more meaningful experience for everyone involved.”
To donate to AARDA’s Annual Appeal via the Rackliffe family cause, use the Google donate button below:
