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Happy Birthday Gramma!

February 10, 2010 by Bill Strong

Gwendolyn's Gramma is just plain awesome! She's one of the most important people in Gwendolyn's entire world and has been a constant, positive role model throughout Gwendolyn's life and, well, mine, too. She's one of my best friends and I consider myself extremely fortunate to have been blessed with her influence and guidance in my life and that she is now such an important part of Gwendolyn's.

Gwendolyn's Gramma is a bright shining star in her life. I never doubted that she would be, but watching her on a regular basis with Gwendolyn just makes me happy. She is thoughtful and selfless and warm and dedicated and creative and encouraging and fun and accepting and active and quirky and grandmotherly and just plain loving with Gwendolyn -- all the things that she has always been to me.

A life-altering diagnosis like SMA can rock family and friends and communities to their core and turns entire worlds upside down, but it's how those individuals and groups come together to support and respond and rally around one another that truly makes a marked difference in the quality of life for Gwendolyn, for us, and -- I think -- for themselves. Like many people in our lives, my mom has no doubt been devastated by Gwendolyn's SMA diagnosis, but it's the way that she has responded and has selflessly been there for Gwendolyn and for us in every single imaginable and unimaginable way through each step of this journey that is remarkable and truly special.

She has been driving up to Santa Barbara from Los Angeles -- 150 miles round trip -- every single Tuesday for two years (and she has never missed a week) to spend time with Gwendolyn, always bringing a home cooked meal (and a bottle of wine) and eagerly doing our laundry or helping us with other chores around the house. And each week she comes up with new creative crafts to do with Gwendolyn and games they can play together and ways to adapt toys so that Gwendolyn can be part of the fun. Her ideas never cease to amaze me. She has literally thrown herself into relentlessly raising awareness of SMA and fundraising for a cure with such events as May Day SMA Sidewalk Sale (GSF's first fundraiser which raised $2,500+) and Golf For A Cure (30 tee sponsors, 80 golfers, raised $6,000+ for GSF). The list goes on and on and there is nothing that Gwendolyn's Gramma wouldn't do for her or for us -- to make Gwendolyn's life as amazing as possible and to make ours a little bit easier in the process.

Gramma/Mom, Happy Birthday! You are the greatest in the whole wide world and we love you to pieces! We hope you have a wonderful day!