Mike Vyn and his family have been involved with the CHARGE Syndrome Foundation since their son Gabe, who is now six, was diagnosed with CHARGE several days after he was born.
“As soon as the CHARGE diagnosis was confirmed, I began to receive information from the CHARGE Syndrome Foundation,” Mike says. “Their info and research are things I continue to use today, so the Foundation’s work is very important and very valuable for my son and my family.”
When asked what advice he would give to others who are considering starting a Charge It for CHARGE campaign, Mike recommended just creating the online fundraiser and giving it a try. “Even if you only get a few dollars donated, every little bit helps,” Mike notes. “I don’t have the ability to do more with the Foundation, but I contribute by raising funds. We are an Air Force family with three kids (6, 4, and 19 months) so we don’t have lots of “extra” time, but supporting the Foundation is important to us. We are truly appreciative of all the support they give to individuals with CHARGE and their families.”
And as an example that there are many ways families can raise awareness of CHARGE, Mike says his father recently completed the Camino de Santiago, walking 225 kilometers from Porto, Portugal to Santiago de Compostela, Spain. “He walked this in Gabe’s honor, to symbolize his journey and his challenges thus far in his young life,” Mike says.
