Laura A | Toronto Half | Support Elisa!!

Good morning everyone! As we speak, our very own Laura A is running the Toronto Half Marathon (this pic is from the start of the race!). She is doing it to raise money for Elisa Linton, who is an important part of the Spring Garden family. Here's what Laura has to say about Elisa:

My friend, Elisa, as many of you know, has had a profound impact on my life. She was born with Sanfilippo Syndrome, which is a mucopolysaccharide disorder and falls within a broader group of genetic disorders known as the Lysosomal Storage Disease. MPS sufferers like Elisa are missing an essential enzyme that breaks down a complex body sugar called heparan sulfate. This sugar will slowly build up in the bones, the brain and other organs, stopping normal development.

While development is normal in the first three or four years, sufferers lose the ability to speak at around the age of 7. By the age of 10 they are confined to a wheelchair, and then bedridden by the age of 14. This decline will be accompanied by hyperactivity, sleep disorders, mental regression and dementia, and will finally lead to an early death. Elisa is 13 and has now lost her speech. This year, her regression has been quite noticeable. Her family courageously watches her fade, yet rejoices in the joy that she brings into their lives and everyone’s life who she meets.

Elisa's amazing family, the Lintons, began a Foundation to raise money to fund research projects so that children born with Sanfilippo one day might have hope of a longer life and treatment.

This year donations from sponsors can be made on-line towards your run with a credit card by logging onto the website www.alifeforelisa.org. Click on, “Donations” listed under “Other Links” on the left side of the home page. Then, click the icon “Donate Now”. Next, enter the donation amount, check the Fund Designation as being “Marathon Event” and under “Message” type in the runners name being sponsored. It’s very easy to follow from there!

Any donations from the run will go towards the Foundation. If you would like to find out more about Sanfilippo Syndrome or my friend, Elisa, you can visit http://www.alifeforelisa.org/.