When I was a young boy, my days, like those of most boys my age,
were filled with sports. Basketball, soccer, running—anything
that kept me moving. Before my 12th birthday, however, those days
came to a crushing halt. I was diagnosed with ankylosing spondylitis
(AS), and my days playing high-impact sports were over.
While that was the beginning of a lengthy learning process about the
disease -- not to mention my battles with spinal and hip pain, as well as
hip replacement surgery just after I turned 27 -- it was not the end of my
world. In fact, it was the beginning of a wonderful relationship with the
Spondylitis Association of America.
The SAA is the largest resource in the United States for people seeking
information about AS. For my parents and me, it was a godsend.
Through the SAA, my family and I learned more about the disease,
how it is treated, and how to cope with such a diagnosis. It also brought
us together with other people suffering from AS so we could learn and
draw strength from their experience.
The SAA provided my parents with a resource through which they
could cope with having a son diagnosed with AS. For me, it has been
an amazing resource that has allowed me to find the strength and
understanding to live my life on my own terms. Now, it is my turn to
give back to an organization that has given so much to me.
For many years, I have supported the SAA with an annual contribution,
and I joined the Board of Directors five years ago, serving on the Fund
Development and Finance committees, to help the organization raise the
money necessary to continue its important work. Over the long-term, I want to invest in the SAA in ways that will
benefit the organization into the future.
Setting aside a legacy gift allows me to
do that, and it means a great deal to me.
A charitable gift of any kind is a personal
act. A planned gift, however, is about
an individual’s commitment to an
organization. For me, it is making a gift to
an organization that I know will be around
for a long time, providing information to
and inspiration for thousands of people
with AS and their families. The SAA’s
mission is “to be a leader in the quest to
cure ankylosing spondylitis and related
diseases, and to empower those affected
to live life to its fullest.” I want that
mission to continue and flourish.
For nearly 25 years, I have dealt with the
effects of AS. Through my legacy gift, I
am making a lasting contribution so future
generations will not have to experience
the disease in the same way I have. I want
to help doctors, patients and researchers
learn more about this disease. One of the
best ways to further that goal is to make a
planned gift to the Spondylitis Association
of America, helping to ensure that those
affected by AS are not alone—or without
the resources necessary to cope with their
disease. Click here to read about planned giving...
If you wish to inform us that you have included SAA in your estate plans or for more information on The Quest Legacy Society, and how planned giving can work for you, please download the "For More information" form and mail to: Quest Legacy Society, Spondylitis Association of America (SAA), 16360 Roscoe Blvd. Ste 100, Van Nuys, CA 91406. You may also contact Susan L. Jones, Director of Development and Planned Giving at 800-777-8189, ext. 231 or susan.jones@spondylitis.org.
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