Team Finn - Reelin for Research

Dear Friends and Family,

On Tuesday our sweet son, Finn, had his 1^st Birthday and oh what a year it has been! 

Our family has been so overwhelmed with all the love and support you have given us as we try to understand Finn’s condition. As of now, we still do not know what is the cause of his hemolytic anemia, but we hold on to the hope that one day we will find an answer and get him on a path to recovery.  To date, he has had 13 blood transfusions under the care of UNC  Pediatric Hematology and Oncology Clinic and is just as happy as can be! So many of you have asked how to support our cause, but without having any definitive diagnosis, it is hard for us to suggest an outlet…until now!

Reelin’ for Research is a charity fishing tournament that was started by a group of our friends to benefit the N.C. Children’s Promise and provides funding for the Tony Montana Fellowship at UNC Pediatric Hematology and Oncology Clinic. The tournament is heading into its fifth year and has provided over $365,000 towards the costs of training young doctors who wish to learn the art and science of Pediatric Hematology and Oncology. The majority of children at Pediatric Hem/Onc clinics are cancer related patients and the tournament was originally started to honor Mr. Montana’s personal battle with cancer. 

So how does this support Finn?

Children with blood disorders, like Finn, require the care of specialized doctors who can diagnose and treat their condition at Pediatric Hematology (blood) and Oncology (cancer) clinics. We are fortunate that our son is in the great care of one of the best, Dr. Stuart Gold with UNC Pediatric Hematology and Oncology. The money raised by the tournament helps to ensure a next generation of caregivers for both children with blood and cancer disorders. 

This tournament is dear to our hearts in many ways and we hope you will choose to help support their efforts. The opportunity to give has been made very simple through the tournament’s website,  http://www.reelinforresearch.org/donate.htm. We have a donation “boat” entered in the tournament, Team Finn, so please reference it as the recipient if you choose to donate. 

All donations to Reelin’ for Research are 100% tax deductible and go directly to N.C. Children’s Promise. For more information please visit the tournament’s website at www.reelinforresearch.org. We thank you for everything and hope that you will help us support R4R’s important cause to provide this critical care for children in the future!

Sincerely yours,

Craig and Beau

Time to get back to the updates!

Sorry for the extremely long pause in updates on Finn, but life with three children makes the time fly by!

We have had quite a month, with every flu imaginable hitting our household and Finn having another surgery. Finn had his last transfusion on Saturday 3/10 and all went well. That next Tuesday I took him to the UNC Ped Hem/Onc clinic for tests and his broviac line had clotted. There was nothing they could do to get the clot dissolved, so we had surgery to remove the line the next day. He now has a portacath, which will make daily life a lot easier. He was able to take his first real bath with his siblings last week and he will be able to go swimming at the pool this summer!

His HGB level was a 8.3 yesterday at UNC, but we are encouraged that it hadn't dropped further after 2 viruses, surgery, and mishaps with too much blood being drawn and being given too much of an antibiotic. Before his last transfusion he had gone 7 weeks which is great news! We just hope his body continues this positive trend!

I am going to immediately post again about a great cause to support in Finns honor, Reelin for Research! Hope you will take the time to learn more about this great organization!

Beau