Contributed by: Timothy Wyman, CFP®, JD
Have you ever had a moment that was so meaningful it’s etched in your mind like it was yesterday? Perhaps it was a special birthday as a kid – your first bike – first kiss – your wedding day – the birth of your child or even the loss of a loved one.
For me one of those moments was roughly 10 years ago sitting in a dimly lit hospital room. My daughter Kacy, 3 years old at the time, had just gone through hundreds of tests and finally her pediatrician – no, her medical angel Dr. Sonja Earles—just finished putting the medical puzzle together, diagnosing Kacy with Cystinosis.
The doctor on call came into the room and sat with my wife Jen and me. He looked us in the eyes and while I am sure he gave us the medical info, what I recall was him saying was that our family was in for a great challenge and that Kacy’s care was not going to be easy but a long tough road. Then he paused for what seemed to be an eternity and then said, “I’ve observed Kacy and how you both care for her and I know that you can do this.”
He said, “You can do this,” and I believed him.
As I looked over at Kacy with IV’s in both arms, hardly taking up ¼ of the bed I saw the toughest little person I know—I believed him. As I looked at Jen and saw an even tougher, committed and loyal person; if it meant getting up multiple times in the night to give meds or change bedding, I knew she could do it—I believed him.
As I thought about our family, Kacy’s brothers Matt & Jack, her grandparents, her aunts and uncles and the support they would give Kacy and us – I knew we could handle it because we were not alone—I believed him.
When I thought about our friends and community, all that we thank for emotional and financial support; for the meals, the love, the prayers, and the support when we needed help—I believed him.
Ten years ago when three young men – Jacob Ruby, Zack Neff, and Jarred Brately—selflessly gave us the gift of the Fun Run, I really knew we could do this.
Thank you for all who participated in presence, spirit, or financial support in the 10th and final Fun Run for Cystinosis Research this past May 1st. While we don’t have a cure for Cystinosis just yet; the funds that were raised over the last ten years have made a significant difference for all of the children living each day with this disease. The Cystinosis Research Network, an all-volunteer organization, continues to fund research and gives us hope that a cure will be found during Kacy’s lifetime.
So many people have played an important role in our lives over the last ten years. What does the next ten years look like? I don’t know; no one really does. But I will close with a quote that embodies Kacy and the three young men who started the Fun Run, this quote acts as a guide for how we all might choose to live the next ten years:
“May your dreams be bigger than your fears and your actions louder than your words.”
Timothy Wyman, CFP®, JD is the Managing Partner and Financial Planner at Center for Financial Planning, Inc. and is a contributor to national media and publications such as Forbes and The Wall Street Journal and has appeared on Good Morning America Weekend Edition and WDIV Channel 4. A leader in his profession, Tim served on the National Board of Directors for the 28,000 member Financial Planning Association™ (FPA®), mentored many CFP® practitioners and is a frequent speaker to organizations and businesses on various financial planning topics.