Amyloidosis fundraiser meets the challenge

The Carpenter, Duffany and Pennington families of Keith Carpenter, an amyloidosis patient who died in 2005 at age 43, wishes to extend a heartfelt thanks to all those persons in the following communities who participated in the fundraiser either by donating articles or generously contributing monies: Longmeadow, Chicopee, Wilbraham, Springfield, East Longmeadow, Northampton, Amherst, West Springfield, Somers, Conn., Stephentown, N.Y., and Vero Beach, Fla.

Profits were also donated from a children's lemonade stand in Longmeadow. Delicious breads and pastries were donated by Panera Bread, equipment was donated by Taylor Rental, and Reminder Publications, all of East Longmeadow, also helped to make our fundraiser a success.

Community awareness of amyloidosis, a disease that is not gender or age specific, was enhanced with materials handed out at the information booth. Surprisingly to us, not only did local families come forward to share experiences on how this disease had impacted their lives, but we were visited by a person who is currently diagnosed and another person whose grandmother has recently been diagnosed with amyloidosis.

We are proud to announce that $5,429 was raised this August and is being donated to Boston University Medical Center for Research and Treatment. Including the current amount, we are proud to say we will have donated a grand total of $12,161! But none of this could have been possible without you. Look what can happen when a community comes together.

Reminder Publications submitted photo