My Children's Hospitals and Clinics of Minnesota story, while not cancer related, is very personal and, I hope, impactful. My family has greatly benefited directly from CHCM and its physicians, who both saved, and greatly improved the quality of, my daughter Emily's life. CHCM and its physicians were responsible for diagnosing and treating Emily for a relatively rare genetic anomaly, from shortly after her birth through adolescence. During this time, Emily required stays in Children's Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) and had two open heart surgical procedures, as well as countless other tests and procedures, primarily at CHCM. Thanks in part to CHCM, Emily, now 18 years old, is a happy, healthy high school graduate, preparing for her freshman year of college.

Being invited to participate in my second PTATC to promote and raise funds for CHCM is an honor and a privilege for me.