Sarah Chalke wrote -
Promotion: Donate at least $21 from 8/19 at 12pm EST to 8/25 at 11:59pm EST any you’ll be automatically entered for a chance to win a Signed How I Met Your Mother Script.
This is a fundraiser for a test that could save kids hearts and lives.
I can't put into words how scary it is to see your baby sick and not know what is wrong with him, have doctors not know what is wrong with him and have a different diagnosis every day. Kawasaki Disease (KD) is the leading cause of acquired heart disease in children. Once they get sick, you have a ten day window to get the treatment to save their heart, but children often get misdiagnosed. When my son had Kawasaki Disease and was misdiagnosed for ten days, I can’t tell you how many times I said, “I just wish there was a test. A test that could tell us if this is KD.”
And now there might be. A team of doctors at Stanford University and UCSD have devised a prototype for a diagnostic test. This is a huge deal. This test could be 95% accurate but it needs to be tested for two years before it can be used. We NEED this test because of the ticking clock to get treatment to prevent heart damage that can lead to a heart attack.
It is difficult to get funding, even for a serious childhood disease. Today I am asking you to join me in raising the funds to run a two year trial of the diagnostic test. Now is the time to donate-The Gordon and Marilyn Macklin Foundation will match dollar for dollar up to $100,000 for every dollar we raise!
With this test, no parent will have a sick child with Kawasaki Disease and wonder what it is; no child will have silent heart damage that can cost them their life.
Let’s save some little hearts.
NOTE: IF YOU WANT TO KNOW THE SYMPTOMS TO LOOK OUT FOR...Go to kdfoundation.org to learn more, the website that saved my son. This was the website we went to every day that kept us fighting to see a specialist.
IF YOU ARE A KD SURVIVOR... you can help. There is little information known about the long term effects of Kawasaki Disease, whether there was lasting heart damage or not. One of the leading researchers is doing a study on this and needs participants. Email Dr. Jane Burns at Adultkd@ucsd.edu to be part of the study.
Thank you. So. Much.
To see Sarah on Huff Post Live, please click here. Watching the video is a great way to learn about the cause.
