111 Days Later, 1 BIG Bucket List Accomplishment!

Please continue to share Avery's story by updating your social networks, e-mailing all of your contacts, and talking to your friends/co-workers.   The more people who are aware of SMA, the less likely future children will be affected by SMA, and the more likely there will be a cure for Avery's friends who already have SMA! 

Being far from superstitious people or the type who get caught up in "numbers or signs", we have to admit, the update we are about to provide truly boggles our minds while bringing smiles to our faces and tears to our eyes.

Yesterday evening (August 18th), exactly 111 days after Avery passed away, we received a phone call from Vincent Gaynor with Sophia's Cure Foundation notifying us that the total amount of donations in Avery's name had just reached over $500,000.  With the multiple matching donors, this means exactly 111 days after Avery passed away, she achieved her goal of raising the $1,000,000 ($1.5+ mil to be exact) necessary to fully fund the Phase 1 clinical trials of Dr. Kaspar's Gene Therapy program in an effort to cure Avery's friends with SMA.  And as soon as the FDA gives approval, estimated to be in the early part of 2013, Dr. Kaspar can begin helping Avery's friends.

Thank you to everyone who donated $0.01 to $111,111.11 and beyond.  Avery's goal could not have been achieved without you and we sincerely thank you from the bottom, middle, top, and all sides of our hearts!  Please remember to continue sharing Avery's story, spreading her message about SMA to protect future children & their parents from SMA, and helping to fund a cure for Avery's friends still battling SMA.

And lastly, please remember that Avery's goal was to raise $1,000,000 towards a cure for SMA and then do it again...she's already met the first part of that goal and now she's half way towards doing it again.  Once again, thank you for being a part of Avery's life and for continuing to be a part of her everlasting story.

Avery laughing upon being released from the hospital after her G-Tube surgery.

Items Avery Can Scratch Off Her Bucket List:

1. Raise $1,000,000 towards a cure for SMA and then do it again and again and again
2. Help fully fund Phase 1 of Dr. Kaspar's Clinical Trial

Up Next:

brAVERY 5k Run Photos & Recap!

Don't forget to share Avery's story by following & forwarding her blog, following her on 
Twitter  (AveryBucketList) and Like her on Facebook (Averys Bucket List)!  The more people who are aware of SMA, the less likely future children will be affected by SMA, and the more likely there will be a cure for Avery's friends who already have SMA!

http://www.facebook.com/AverysBucketList

https://twitter.com/#!/AveryBucketList

If there's anything you'd like to mail, you can send it to:

Avery's Bucket List

PO BOX #2849

Bellaire, TX 77402

A Day For Avery (Quite the Ending To an Amazing Game!)

Please continue to share Avery's story by updating your social networks, e-mailing all of your contacts, and talking to your friends/co-workers.   The more people who are aware of SMA, the less likely future children will be affected by SMA, and the more likely there will be a cure for Avery's friends who already have SMA! 

Last night the Sugar Land Skeeters went all out in honoring Avery with “A Day for Avery”.  They had a heart wrenching video montage of Avery they showed before the game, videos about SMA & Avery's story in between innings, a balloon release for Avery, t-shirts & wristbands for sale, and they wore special Avery game day jerseys (see below), which they auctioned off during the game.  So far they've raised over $14,000 with all proceeds being donated to Sophia's Cure.

This custom golf cart was donated by one of
Avery's SMAn's and is being auctioned off.

200 T-Shirts were donated and sold for $15
inside the Skeeters Fan Shop.  They sold out
and immediately had requests for more.

Octavio Martinez, Avery's catcher, who after Avery
 passed away inscribed Avery's initials, her birth date,
date of passing, and R.I.P. on his cap.

Thank you Davis family and all other families
who bid on a jersey and supported a cure for SMA!

Lastly, thank you to the Sugar Land Skeeters for everything and for all of the memories from Avery's first pitch and from last night.  We appreciate everyone who attended the game last night in honor of Avery and in support of SMA Awareness and funding for a cure.  Among the people in attendance last night, were many of Avery's SMAn's and family members, along with Nancy Burford (Avery's speech pathologist), Dr. Paul Minifee (Avery's glam-tube surgeon), Dr. Nancy Glass (Avery's anesthesiologist), and last but certainly not least, Savannah, one of Avery's friends came with her mommy & family.

Avery's friend Savannah with her family and
the Skeeters mascots.

Avery's SMAn's since Day 1.

Oh and in case you're wondering about the outcome of the game,  the Skeeters won 4-3 in the 11th inning when the opposing pitcher uncorked a wild pitch while trying to intentionally walk the Skeeters' Ofilio Castro who happens to wear number 11.  Considering Avery's birth date was 11/11/11, this brought chills and smiles to us all at the same time.

We miss you, we love you, and thank you for forever being with us.

Up Next:

brAVERY 5k Run (can't make it to the event, do the virtual run!)

Don't forget to share Avery's story by following & forwarding her blog, following her on 
Twitter  (AveryBucketList) and Like her on Facebook (Averys Bucket List)!  The more people who are aware of SMA, the less likely future children will be affected by SMA, and the more likely there will be a cure for Avery's friends who already have SMA!

http://www.facebook.com/AverysBucketList

https://twitter.com/#!/AveryBucketList

If there's anything you'd like to mail, you can send it to:

Avery's Bucket List

PO BOX #2849

Bellaire, TX 77402