Lace up your sneakers!

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Friends,

On Saturday, April 30, we’ll be among 10,000 people walking around White Rock Lake as part of the March of Dimes’ annual WalkAmerica fundraiser. We’re hoping you'll lace up your sneakers and join us on the “Aron Family Team,” or to support this important cause by sponsoring our team. (Information about walking and/or donating is available at www.walkamerica.org/aronfamily)

The organization’s work hits home for us because their focus is prematurity – what causes it and what can be done about it. As many of you know, we’ve seen the highs and lows of their work after spending more than 200 days in the hospital following the arrival of our twins 17 weeks ahead of schedule.

Jake and Josh were considered "on the brink of viability," meaning the low end of the survival chart. And if they did make it, they were in the high-risk group for all sorts of disabilities. The chances that even one of them would have a "normal" life were too slim to calculate.

Then Josh had a heart operation on his third day, followed by Jake undergoing a very risky bowel procedure on his sixth day.

Slowly but surely, the boys began overcoming their obstacles. Jake came home a few days before Thanksgiving and Josh joined him about a week later, albeit attached to an oxygen tank. Both also were taking all their meals through a feeding tube.

Now fast forward to March 2005. The boys are both thriving toddlers and medical miracles. They've managed to avoid all the pitfalls of their extreme prematurity. Although they still have their feeding tubes, they're almost ready to have them removed.

We celebrate their incredible progress every day, realizing we've been twice blessed. Now we are joining others in hopes of raising money to help fund research that can lead to more happy stories like ours.

Sincerely,

Lori, Jaime and Zachary Aron 

Below are the attached pictures with this email