As I have been raising funds for Team Challenge, I have had the opportunity to meet so many inspirational people, who are having a lot tougher time than I am. I have not met Darian Sinclair in person, but his story is one reason I am running the Chicago Marathon this year. I think you will love his story too!
Meet Darian Sinclair, Team Challenge Honored Hero!
"Being diagnosed for me at first was very
challenging. Freshman year in High school I started to notice that I was going
to the restroom frequently and was losing weight fairly quickly. I never
thought anything of it because I was on the wrestling team, and its high school
the food is not that great HaHa. I
had been super weak for the past couple of weeks leading up to wrestling
practice, and during practice while weight training my body pretty much gave
out on me and I had to leave practice a little early. Later on that night after
passing a massive amount of blood and being in pain and a fever I found myself
in the hospital. Needless to say I was sent to Egleston Hospital where, after a
pick line, tube, different test and a long time spent in the hospital I was
diagnosed with Crohn's Disease. Once I was released from the hospital I went to
back to school, my somehow word got around the school that I had a brain tumor
and that's why I was gone for so long.
I was
able to catch up on all of the work I had missed and although I still had pains
and frequent visits to the restroom everything seemed to be fine. Sophomore and
junior year were practically symptom free. I was placed on an infusion
medication which seemed to be working changed my diet and I could no longer do
the sports that I once participated in but I managed to find other things like
FFA to fill the void. Senior year came along prime time of your high school
career, and well for me it was all downhill. My symptoms came back full force
and going to the restroom 30 or 40 times a day plus trying balance school and
frequently going to the hospital and doctor’s
visits it seemed like there was no end to this monster called Crohn's. I
started my high school career at around 200lbs and by the end of my senior year
I was at 165lbs. My doctor up the dosage of my medication and off I went to
college three and a half hours away from family, doctors and any since of
normality.
My college career was tough, people not
understanding what was really wrong with you constantly missing classes and
feeling horrible just about every day, all the while doing my best to keep a
smile on my face, and trying my best to keep my grades up and have some kind of
social life while in school. With all the stress of my disease and school
depression set in for every time I turned around it did not seem like there was
any hope of an escape or relief. My doctor switched me over to another
medication and I thought that things would start to get better... boy was I
wrong. My 3 year in school technically second for I had to take a year off. I
took yet another rollercoaster ride downhill. My body started to almost deteriorate
before my eyes. Symptoms worsened, hospital visits increased, and after a
couple of blood transfusions and minor surgeries I set out to complete the
semester. Only to withdraw for medical
reasons again. I came home at 120lbs weak, stressed and tired of just
everything going on in life and the constant reminder that this is my life and
the "struggle is real" somehow I still managed to keep a smile of my
face hiding the pain inside. All the while telling myself there are people out there who have it worse
than I do.
My doctor
put me back on the first drug at a higher dosage and more frequently and things
started to get better. I worked at a camp during the summers and I ran my first
road race ever (Peachtree) with some staff from camp. My time was super slow
and my body was done afterwards. But I thought back to the fact of people like
me who could not run and with that thought in mind after not deleting emails
and finally opening I joined CCFA about a year later and set out to run for a
cause. Unfortunately due to yet again health issues I was not able to go to
NOLA, but I did not let that hold me back. This year my doctor put me on
another medication, although I still have frequent problems flare ups and
pains, I have come a long way. I ran my first race with Team Challenge in New
Orleans in February and it was an amazing experience and lifted a huge weight
off of my chest. I am super thankful to have gotten involved with such an
amazing organization and gotten to know such amazing people. I continue to
fight my disease on a daily basis, trying to work a regular job is a hassle,
and then trying to have a social life on top of that just seems impossible.
I however
do not allow my disease to define who I am, I instead try and use it as an
instrument to not only inspire people but also bring hope to those who feel
like there is no hope. I am thankful for CCFA and everyone in it. I continue to
turn my circumstances to something positive and not allow it to define who I
am."
(Crohn's "Constant Reminder of How Not to
Submit")
Darian Sinclair
You can help me raise funds to help find a cure for people like Darian by clicking HERE! No amount is too small, but I will send you one of three cool marathon pin packs (Chicago, Boston or New York) for a tax deductible donation of $20 or more!
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