Heroes

Let me tell you up front that this has nothing to do with climbing but I think that it needs to be heard. An old friend of mine is trying to reach out to people over the internet to help with his children. He has two kids, a boy (Isis) and a girl (Phoenix), who both have a rare disease called Rigid Spine Muscular Dystrophy. It is a dangerous congenital disease with a high mortality rate, due to respiratory failure. Respiratory failure comes as a result of an inability to cough and remove mucus and fluid from the lungs. By the time Isis was three, he caught a virus that would give any adult a head ache and runny nose. Isis suffered a massive respiratory failure from this virus and had to be resuscitated. He spent the next two and a half weeks in intensive care with a machine breathing for him, all because he could’nt cough.

There is hope however. There is a device that they can get that will help simulate a cough for the children. As of now they do not have one in Western Australia, so my friend Nick and his wife Jasmin are trying to save up $10,000 to by one for Isis and Phoenix. For more info please visit these sites that Nick has set up.

nickbarfuss.com
ridgespine.blogspot

I spent a lot of time with Nick in high school but haven't really heard much about him since he moved to Australia. It's heart breaking to find out this news about his kids. Just thought I would try and spread the word. Thanks for reading.
Danny Darby (AKA alpinerack)