Friends, this year, in lieu of a big birthday bash, or many planned events (though I'm still happy to entertain dinners, coffees, antiquing trips, garden visits, etc) I am hoping you will help me celebrate my birthday by donating to The Mast Cell Disease Society (TMS).

This past year has been a maelstrom, and TMS has been a crucial port in a storm. After receiving my systemic mastocytosis diagnosis last year (only a year ago?!?), I was lost and a little scared. Discovering you have a rare disease is, to say the least, disorienting and throws your life into a bit of chaos. In trying to wade through enormous amounts of mostly scientific (but vague about what it is to live with SM) information online around my new diagnosis, the TMS provided support groups (that have been a literal life-saver), online resources, webinars, access to clinical trial information, and critical advocacy around rare mast cell disorders.

So if you are so inclined, and would like to help me celebrate this most recent trip around the sun, please consider helping me reach my goal of raising $500 for the TMS. It would mean so much to me. It's hard to ask for anything given the support, love, kindness, understanding, and willingness to deal with my new challenges I've received over the last year. Please know how grateful I am for every one of you who have reached out, taken something of value from my story, encouraged me to continue to share and advocate for myself, and for those who have listened to me yell, or cry, or who have picked up my spirits when things felt a little hopeless.

So much love, and thank you.