October is coming and you know what that means...

BUDDY WALK!!!!

October is Down Syndrome Awareness month which we celebrate with the Buddy Walk.  Last year we had so much fun tailgating with our family and friends.  It is such a fun time for them to meet Brinkley's other buddies that rock their extra chromosomes and see all the awesome stuff that we have to look forward too.  We are hard at work planning for this year's walks and want you to join us!  

The first thing you want to do is order your NEW 2014 Team Brinkley shirt.  Our team will sport these at the walk and also when we do our giving back projects.  Team Brinkley will earn a couple of dollars for each shirt sold and these will help us fund our Brinkley Bags and other giving back projects.  (Our first Brinkley Bag will be delivered this week!!!!!  It's going to a new mom that is about to take her baby home from the NICU.  This awesome little lady is also rocking an extra chromosome.)  

The next step is to register for the Buddy Walk that you plan to attend.  You don't have to register to come and tailgate with us, but your registration fee helps to fund our local Down Syndrome support groups and you will get another cool t shirt.  Rocking these super cool shirts will show the world how AWESOME you think our kids are.  You can find links to each walk and the t shirt order site below.  

Finally, SHARE SHARE SHARE!  We have to sell 50 t-shirts and want to have huge teams walking with Brinkley.  Even if you can't come to the walks you can support us by buying a t shirt or donating to the walks in honor of Brinkley.  Our goal is to raise $300 for each walk.  Share our links for shirts and registration on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, your personal website, and by email.  Share it wherever you can.  If you are a business owner and would be interested in sponsoring the walk contact us so that we can get you the proper forms for tax credit.

Brinkley's birthday is this Saturday, September 6th.  Consider supporting our efforts by donating or purchasing a t shirt in honor of his 2nd birthday.  As his way of thanking you, he's planing to walk a step (at each Buddy Walk) for each person that donates or buys a shirt.  

Here's the links:

https://dsfagreenvilleorg.presencehost.net/community/event_calendar.html/event/2014/10/05/2014-buddy-walk

http://www.ds-stride.org/andersonbuddywalk/profiles/team/TeamBrinkley321

https://www.booster.com/teambrinkley

It's coming: Buddy Walk

Mark your calendar!  Dust off your walking shoes.  Get your Team Brinkley shirt out (or order one).  It's almost time for Buddy Walk!!!!  

Sunday, October 5th  Greenville Buddy Walk  @ Greenville Tech

Sunday, October 19th  Anderson Buddy Walk  @Anderson University

Be prepared, we'll be raising money for our local Down Syndrome Support Groups and we'll be selling Team Brinkley shirts for those who may not have one yet.  Details will come in August.  

Television Debut

Brinkley's surgery to close his G-tube site went well.  Something got the doctors off schedule for the day and it was nearly 3:00 when they took him back for surgery (he was scheduled for 1 pm).  He had not eaten since 9 pm the night before.  I'm sure you can imagine how fun that was!  The surgery went well and to our surprise we were not kept overnight.  

Saturday, June 28th Brinkley was featured in a Children's Miracle Network promotional video that was shown all over SC during the Miss SC pageant.  We are hoping to get a copy of the two videos that were shown, but for now my phone video from the TV will have to do.  

What a privilege it has been to represent our hospital and the CMN locally.  We have several more CMN events scheduled where we will share B's story and look forward to sharing those with you.  Right now you have the opportunity to support the Children's Hospital of GHS by giving to the CMN drives being held at ACE, Love's, and Dairy Queen.  All money given to CMN stays in the local community so "put your money where the miracles are!"

The week ahead

What a week we have ahead!  It's CMN (Children's Miracle Network) week for us.  This week we'll be sharing Brinkley's story at two different CMN kickoff events.  Saturday Brinkley will be one of two CMN children featured during the televised Miss SC pageant.  Yes, our man is making his TV debut!  The Miss SC pageant will air at 8 pm Saturday night.  In the Greenville area you can catch it on MY40.  It will also be aired in the following markets: Columbia, Charleston, & Myrtle Beach.  

We're excited about sharing Brinkley and growing Team Brinkley!

Tomorrow morning at 11:30 Brinkley will be checking in at Greenville Memorial for surgery.  Dr. Gates will be closing the G-tube site.  We are expecting to stay overnight and will keep you updated.  With this in mind, we need our team to join us in praying for a smooth procedure and recovery.  

A peek inside therapy

Brinkley is working hard on his walking skills with Ms Deann in PT.  Here's a little taste:

On the next attempt he thought that Ms Connie (OT) would save him:

Notice how Brinkley can poke that lip out and look absolutely pitiful with the best of them!  (Please excuse my poor camera work.)

Social Butterfly

A few months ago I was given the opportunity to join the speakers bureau for the Children's Hospital.  At that time I wasn't sure exactly what that would entail, but I was soon to find out.  My first opportunity to speak came unexpectedly.  While at therapy on a few weeks ago I got an email from the program director.  She needed me to speak the next morning and wanted me to have a twenty minute presentation prepared.  Good thing I majored in public speaking!  Less than 24 hours notice of a 20 minute presentation would send most people over the edge.

I arrived at the hospital promptly that morning to make my presentation to a group of regional managers from Chico's brand stores.  I learned quickly that the speakers bureau is a part of the Children's Miracle Network fundraising efforts for the hospital.  I was not familiar with how CMN worked and exactly what they did for hospitals, but I got a crash course that morning.   

It's a good thing that I got that crash course because the coordinators and I hit it off well and Brinkley and I were asked to participate in several more upcoming events.  

Many corporations support the Children's Miracle Network as does the Miss America Organization.  Brinkley and I were asked to attend an informational session the Miss South Carolina contestants.  Immediately, Brinkley became a hit with the contestants!  We were in a video with the ladies that will be shown during the Miss SC pageant later this month about the CMN.  Brinkley was one of two local kids that were asked to represent the hospital in the video.  

As a result, Brinkley made connections with some of the girls and has been asked to appear with them to represent CMN at fundraising events.  We are honored to have these opportunities and look forward to sharing our story with others in our community.  Here are a few photos of Brinkley with his new girlfriends:

Grace Cromer Miss Walterboro Teen 

Miss Clemson Callie Martin

What a surprise!

We got a bit of a St. Patrick's Day surprise.  Late in the morning I checked my email for the first time.  Each week I receive emails from Sevenly about the cause that they are supporting for the week.  We have bought shirts from them more than once.  Imagine my surprise when I opened this week's email and this is what I saw:

Yes, that is Brinkley featured in Sevenly's ad this week.  He is the face of Down Syndrome this week (and an awfully cute face it is!).  You can see him on their website and Facebook page as well.  His photo is in the video on their website.  

This week Sevenly is supporting the International Down Syndrome Coalition.  Recently we, along with our photographer Jessi Nichols, released several photos of Brinkley to the IDSC.  Apparently they love Brinkley because this is not the only place they have shared him.  This is the cover of one of their Facebook pages:

We are so happy to see our little guy featured here.  He's an amazing little guy.  Hopefully his smile will help someone to see that our children are more than a diagnosis.  They are beautiful wonderful gifts!