CHARITY AUCTION #8--Donations Being Accepted NOW!!!
airplanenut
Posts: 22,660 ✭✭✭✭✭
Hi all,
Yesterday marked the 9th anniversary of my grandfather's passing, and I spent a lot of time looking back on the time I had with him, and the time--now nearly half of my life--that I haven't. By the time I reached high school, I realized that my real goal in life was to complete those things which he could not, namely going to college and attaining a degree in aeronautics, and beating the illness that took his life, pancreatic cancer. I write this today a very different person from the nearly 13-year-old I was when he passed away.
Today, I am counting down the days until I receive my degree in aeronautical engineering. The requirements have been met, and it's just a wait until commencement on June 5. I now have a pilot's license, and while my mom adamantly refuses to fly with me (or in any small plane), I know that he would have been on the first plane to Boston the day after I got my license to be my first passenger. And in all this time, I've seen what a decade can do to cure a disease.
In 2000, pancreatic cancer was a little-known, silent killer. A diagnoses came in the late stages of the disease, and the 5-year mortality rate was over 99.9%. Today, pancreatic cancer has come into the forefront of the news with numerous notable cases. Pavarotti and Randy Pausch, the professor who gave the world-renowned last lecture, were taken by the disease. Patrick Swayze, Steve Jobs, and Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg have made headlines as they fight it. Today, the 5-year mortality rate is 96%. This figure is still alarmingly high, but it means a patient is 40 times more likely to live 5 years now than just 10 years ago. The one-year mortality rate is 80%, which is a major drop in the last decade, where 6 months was considered a long, valiant battle.
Because of these numbers, pancreatic cancer, with under 39,000 new cases annually in the U.S., remains among the top five causes of cancer death in the U.S. Medicine has come a long way, but much more research is yet to be done; there is still no test for early detection, which is an all but required event for survival.
While my charity auctions in the past have focused soley on pancreatic cancer, a cause that I remain ever-committed to, I thought that this year, I would shift focuses slightly. Events in the past six months have given me a new perspective on life and family, and they are the focus of this year's auction. First, I'd like to share two stories.
The first story is about Jack Torrey, the son of one of my mother's friends. A young boy, he has spent far too much of his life in hospitals to see doctors, and in many cases, stay for weeks on end. Jack is suffering from Adrenoleukodystrophy (ALD). ALD is a rare, genetic disorder characterized by the breakdown or loss of the myelin sheath surrounding nerve cells in the brain and progressive dysfunction of the adrenal gland. Typically boys develop normally until the onset of symptoms occurs (usually between the ages of 4 and 10). Early symptoms are often misdiagnosed as attention deficit disorder before serious neurological involvement becomes apparent. Once symptoms become apparent, they progress rapidly and lead to vegetative state within two years, and death anytime thereafter.
Currently boys who are known to have the gene can be treated with a low fat diet and "Lorenzo's Oil" but once the symptoms appear the only treatment is a stem cell transplant. Jack had his transplant in May of 2007 -- only one month from his diagnosis. As in Jack's case, a successful transplant stops the progression of the disease. The brain damage that occurs before the tranplant is not erased.
I've spoken with Jack's parents, telling them about my auctions and that I'd like to support Jack in his battle. They directed me to the Kennedy Krieger Institute in Baltimore, whose doctors have worked closely with Jack. Half of the funds raised this year will go to support the research that will give Jack and those who are diagnosed in the future a normal childhood. You can read more about Jack in a near-daily blog that discusses the good and the bad: Jack's blog
The second story hits as close to home as can be. Last fall, I was sitting doing homework with a friend when I got a call from my father, asking if I was free. I instantly knew the tone of voice and braced myself for what news was to come. A recent mammogram had shown that my mother had a worrisome growth, but more tests would need to be done to determine whether or not the tumor was malignant. After a few weeks of doctors debating back-and-forth, it was determined that the tumor was cancerous, and surgery was quickly scheduled, removing all of the cancer, followed by radiation treatment. A post-op biopsy had shown that the cancer had not spread, and as a precaution against recurrence, my mother began chemotherapy in January. Luckily, the cancer was caught extremely early and when the chemotherapy is over and the side effects wear off, everything should just be a distant memory.
When my grandfather was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in 1999, I was too young to understand what was happening. I remember little bits of what happened back then, but mostly, I remember not understanding the seriousness. Today, I'm much better able to understand, and that has been made quite apparent over the past few months. I've also learned a lot about the importance of early detection, and what it means to a patient and their family. Sure, there have been plenty of scary moments over the last few months, but there has been a lot of comfort knowing that everything was found so early with my mom, and that a full recovery wasn't just possible, but standard for someone in her situation. Both of my maternal grandparents passed away too young from cancer--my grandmother 6 months before I was born in her early 50s--well before the medicine existed to give them a fighting chance. A decade or two later, and I've seen first-hand how medicine can evolve.
So this year, a donation to support pancreatic cancer isn't just to remember my grandfather. This year, it's to honor my mother as she makes a full recovery. This year, it's a donation that will help bring 39,000 families the comfort in knowing that a diagnosis of pancreatic cancer isn't the end of the road, but rather just a pot hole. It's to make pancreatic cancer as survivable as the many other cancers for which reliable early-detection and treatments exist.
For those unfamiliar with my past auctions, I have held seven on the CU boards since 2003, which have together raised over $32,700. The auctions run in a few stages.
1- I accept all numismatic donations. Coins, books, supplies, or if you would like, cash. Donations can be mailed to me, or if you can, a list can be emailed to me (along with photos if possible).
2- I will put up all the items on a website, and bidding will be open for about 2 weeks. The full amount of each bid is donated to charity. **Please note that this auction is unrelated to those advertised in my signature line, which is a private business. There has been some confusion in the past, so I want to stress that 100% of the amount donated in this auction will go to charity.
3- When the auction is completed, winning bidders will be emailed and contacted to arrange payment to me (PayPal is easiest). I will ship them the items that I have in my possession, and I will email donors to ship the items that they have donated but kept in their possession.
4- I will send the full amount donated (rounded up) to the two charities. As I have done in each past auction, I will post the copies of the checks on the boards.
Here is the breakdown of the amounts raised in the past 7 auctions:
Auction 1: $1700
Auction 2: $3000
Auction 3: $5400
Auction 4: $7225
Auction 5: $4000
Auction 6: $7000
Auction 7: $4450
Total: $32,775
To recap, this year the auction proceeds will be split between the Kennedy Krieger Institute for support in ALD research, and the Hirshberg Foundation for Pancreatic Cancer Research.
If you have any questions at all, please feel free to post, send me a PM, or email me at charity@jkwd.com
Please donate generously, and together, let's make this the most successful auction so far!
My thanks for your past and continued support,
Jeremy
Yesterday marked the 9th anniversary of my grandfather's passing, and I spent a lot of time looking back on the time I had with him, and the time--now nearly half of my life--that I haven't. By the time I reached high school, I realized that my real goal in life was to complete those things which he could not, namely going to college and attaining a degree in aeronautics, and beating the illness that took his life, pancreatic cancer. I write this today a very different person from the nearly 13-year-old I was when he passed away.
Today, I am counting down the days until I receive my degree in aeronautical engineering. The requirements have been met, and it's just a wait until commencement on June 5. I now have a pilot's license, and while my mom adamantly refuses to fly with me (or in any small plane), I know that he would have been on the first plane to Boston the day after I got my license to be my first passenger. And in all this time, I've seen what a decade can do to cure a disease.
In 2000, pancreatic cancer was a little-known, silent killer. A diagnoses came in the late stages of the disease, and the 5-year mortality rate was over 99.9%. Today, pancreatic cancer has come into the forefront of the news with numerous notable cases. Pavarotti and Randy Pausch, the professor who gave the world-renowned last lecture, were taken by the disease. Patrick Swayze, Steve Jobs, and Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg have made headlines as they fight it. Today, the 5-year mortality rate is 96%. This figure is still alarmingly high, but it means a patient is 40 times more likely to live 5 years now than just 10 years ago. The one-year mortality rate is 80%, which is a major drop in the last decade, where 6 months was considered a long, valiant battle.
Because of these numbers, pancreatic cancer, with under 39,000 new cases annually in the U.S., remains among the top five causes of cancer death in the U.S. Medicine has come a long way, but much more research is yet to be done; there is still no test for early detection, which is an all but required event for survival.
While my charity auctions in the past have focused soley on pancreatic cancer, a cause that I remain ever-committed to, I thought that this year, I would shift focuses slightly. Events in the past six months have given me a new perspective on life and family, and they are the focus of this year's auction. First, I'd like to share two stories.
The first story is about Jack Torrey, the son of one of my mother's friends. A young boy, he has spent far too much of his life in hospitals to see doctors, and in many cases, stay for weeks on end. Jack is suffering from Adrenoleukodystrophy (ALD). ALD is a rare, genetic disorder characterized by the breakdown or loss of the myelin sheath surrounding nerve cells in the brain and progressive dysfunction of the adrenal gland. Typically boys develop normally until the onset of symptoms occurs (usually between the ages of 4 and 10). Early symptoms are often misdiagnosed as attention deficit disorder before serious neurological involvement becomes apparent. Once symptoms become apparent, they progress rapidly and lead to vegetative state within two years, and death anytime thereafter.
Currently boys who are known to have the gene can be treated with a low fat diet and "Lorenzo's Oil" but once the symptoms appear the only treatment is a stem cell transplant. Jack had his transplant in May of 2007 -- only one month from his diagnosis. As in Jack's case, a successful transplant stops the progression of the disease. The brain damage that occurs before the tranplant is not erased.
I've spoken with Jack's parents, telling them about my auctions and that I'd like to support Jack in his battle. They directed me to the Kennedy Krieger Institute in Baltimore, whose doctors have worked closely with Jack. Half of the funds raised this year will go to support the research that will give Jack and those who are diagnosed in the future a normal childhood. You can read more about Jack in a near-daily blog that discusses the good and the bad: Jack's blog
The second story hits as close to home as can be. Last fall, I was sitting doing homework with a friend when I got a call from my father, asking if I was free. I instantly knew the tone of voice and braced myself for what news was to come. A recent mammogram had shown that my mother had a worrisome growth, but more tests would need to be done to determine whether or not the tumor was malignant. After a few weeks of doctors debating back-and-forth, it was determined that the tumor was cancerous, and surgery was quickly scheduled, removing all of the cancer, followed by radiation treatment. A post-op biopsy had shown that the cancer had not spread, and as a precaution against recurrence, my mother began chemotherapy in January. Luckily, the cancer was caught extremely early and when the chemotherapy is over and the side effects wear off, everything should just be a distant memory.
When my grandfather was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in 1999, I was too young to understand what was happening. I remember little bits of what happened back then, but mostly, I remember not understanding the seriousness. Today, I'm much better able to understand, and that has been made quite apparent over the past few months. I've also learned a lot about the importance of early detection, and what it means to a patient and their family. Sure, there have been plenty of scary moments over the last few months, but there has been a lot of comfort knowing that everything was found so early with my mom, and that a full recovery wasn't just possible, but standard for someone in her situation. Both of my maternal grandparents passed away too young from cancer--my grandmother 6 months before I was born in her early 50s--well before the medicine existed to give them a fighting chance. A decade or two later, and I've seen first-hand how medicine can evolve.
So this year, a donation to support pancreatic cancer isn't just to remember my grandfather. This year, it's to honor my mother as she makes a full recovery. This year, it's a donation that will help bring 39,000 families the comfort in knowing that a diagnosis of pancreatic cancer isn't the end of the road, but rather just a pot hole. It's to make pancreatic cancer as survivable as the many other cancers for which reliable early-detection and treatments exist.
For those unfamiliar with my past auctions, I have held seven on the CU boards since 2003, which have together raised over $32,700. The auctions run in a few stages.
1- I accept all numismatic donations. Coins, books, supplies, or if you would like, cash. Donations can be mailed to me, or if you can, a list can be emailed to me (along with photos if possible).
2- I will put up all the items on a website, and bidding will be open for about 2 weeks. The full amount of each bid is donated to charity. **Please note that this auction is unrelated to those advertised in my signature line, which is a private business. There has been some confusion in the past, so I want to stress that 100% of the amount donated in this auction will go to charity.
3- When the auction is completed, winning bidders will be emailed and contacted to arrange payment to me (PayPal is easiest). I will ship them the items that I have in my possession, and I will email donors to ship the items that they have donated but kept in their possession.
4- I will send the full amount donated (rounded up) to the two charities. As I have done in each past auction, I will post the copies of the checks on the boards.
Here is the breakdown of the amounts raised in the past 7 auctions:
Auction 1: $1700
Auction 2: $3000
Auction 3: $5400
Auction 4: $7225
Auction 5: $4000
Auction 6: $7000
Auction 7: $4450
Total: $32,775
To recap, this year the auction proceeds will be split between the Kennedy Krieger Institute for support in ALD research, and the Hirshberg Foundation for Pancreatic Cancer Research.
If you have any questions at all, please feel free to post, send me a PM, or email me at charity@jkwd.com
Please donate generously, and together, let's make this the most successful auction so far!
My thanks for your past and continued support,
Jeremy
JK Coin Photography - eBay Consignments | High Quality Photos | LOW Prices | 20% of Consignment Proceeds Go to Pancreatic Cancer Research
0
Comments
-Paul
I will start assembling a package immediately.
BTW - Engineers usually don't write that well, so you may have another calling
Carol / SM1 - we need a pin!!!!!
<< <i>Congratualtions are defintely in order, Jeremy.
I will start assembling a package immediately.
BTW - Engineers usually don't write that well, so you may have another calling
Carol / SM1 - we need a pin!!!!! >>
Alls of we curently in Enginerring Skool Can Speel and tyep juz fine!
TTT for Jeremy
Sunshine Rare Coins
sunshinecoins.com/store/c1/Featured_Products.html
Will get a few items together
Michael Kittle Rare Coins --- 1908-S Indian Head Cent Grading Set --- No. 1 1909 Mint Set --- Kittlecoins on Facebook --- Long Beach Table 700
You are making the world a better place and giving people Hope.
All the best to you,
BOOM ~
DPOTD-3
'Emancipate yourselves from mental slavery'
CU #3245 B.N.A. #428
Don
Michael Kittle Rare Coins --- 1908-S Indian Head Cent Grading Set --- No. 1 1909 Mint Set --- Kittlecoins on Facebook --- Long Beach Table 700
Ever Onward
PM sent
www.brunkauctions.com
BST successful dealings with:MsMorrisine, goldman86
Recipient of the coveted "You Suck" award, April 2009 for cherrypicking a 1833 CBHD LM-5, and April 2022 for a 1835 LM-12, and again in Aug 2012 for picking off a 1952 FS-902.
<< <i>
Please donate generously, and together, let's make this the most successful auction so far!
>>
I think if most of the regulars here either donate an item or two and/or make a generous bid or two in the auction, it could easily be the most successful so far!!
Still gathering my item(s) to contribute, but one that I've decided on thus far are my apparently popular homemade 7070 album pages to hold the cracked out insert tags which were originally debuted in my semi-famous Cracker's Remorse Thread (the labels won't be included though
Michael Kittle Rare Coins --- 1908-S Indian Head Cent Grading Set --- No. 1 1909 Mint Set --- Kittlecoins on Facebook --- Long Beach Table 700
Too many positive BST transactions with too many members to list.
PM Sent!
<< <i>bumpity bump >>
Michael Kittle Rare Coins --- 1908-S Indian Head Cent Grading Set --- No. 1 1909 Mint Set --- Kittlecoins on Facebook --- Long Beach Table 700
"Inspiration exists, but it has to find you working" Pablo Picasso
For those interested in donating items, would you rather us photo them, send you the picture, then mail them to the winners at the end of the auction (would mean more money for your causes) or would you rather we ship you the items to post?
Perry
Morgan, modern sets, circulated Kennedys, and Wisconsin error leaf quarter Collector
First (and only - so far) Official "You Suck" Award from Russ 2/9/07
It's easier for me if the photos are sent and the donors can ship, but I'm happy to take items by mail and handle shipping out to the winners, as well.
Jeremy
Box of goodies will go out today, along with some cash to help defray shipping costs to the winners.
Does this mean the chicken may soon have a new coop?
Michael Kittle Rare Coins --- 1908-S Indian Head Cent Grading Set --- No. 1 1909 Mint Set --- Kittlecoins on Facebook --- Long Beach Table 700
Successful BST transactions with WTCG, NH48400, evil empire,
meltdown, timrutnat, bumanchu, 2ndCharter, rpw, AgBlox, indiananationals, yellowkid, RGJohn, fishteeth, rkfish, Ponyexpress8, kalshacon, Tdec1000, Coinlieutenant, SamByrd, Coppercolor