Before having kids and beginning my journey as the new fundraising assistant for DSF, I spent 10 years at Starbucks as a general manager. It was a job that I thoroughly enjoyed but to say that it led to a coffee addiction is quite an understatement. Even now, almost 9 years after leaving Starbucks, I still drink a lot of coffee and enjoy the different flavor profiles and how it brings people from all walks of life together.
But as much as I love coffee, I love my daughter, Eden, more. She turns 9 on February 27th and has fought every day of her life to overcome the seizures and side effects that Dravet syndrome has caused. She is a fierce warrior and a bright light even despite a dark diagnosis and she is the reason that I am willing to give up my cup this March.
Give Up Your Cup is an annual campaign that runs every March to encourage people to give up their cup of coffee for one month and donate what they would have spent to the DSF. It is one of the easiest ways to help the DSF in their mission to one day find a cure for Dravet syndrome.
You might be asking yourself “But what if I don’t usually buy coffee out and I make it at home instead?” Calculate how much you spend on the coffee that you brew at home and donate that money to DSF. “But what if I don’t drink coffee at all?” Give up a different cup. Maybe it’s tea or soda or wine. Whatever kind of drink it is, give it up for a good cause!
As a parent there is nothing that I wouldn’t do for my kids and by giving up my daily cups (yes multiple) of coffee and donating the money that I would spend on them to DSF I know that I am helping to fund research for better treatments for Eden. I know that this is a small sacrifice that I can make that will make a big difference.
Working for DSF has been a dream come true. It has paved a way for me to work towards something that I’m passionate about and that I care for deeply. But you don’t have to work for the DSF to make a difference. In fact, there wouldn’t be a DSF without you- the families, friends, caregivers, doctors. Together we WILL make a difference and you can start right now by giving up your cup and creating your own fundraising page here. Make it personal. Share why it’s important to you to give up your cup and why you’re asking others to do the same. Share it on social media and send it to your friends and family. I think you’ll be surprised at how many people are willing to help if you are willing to simply ask.
“Alone we can do so little; together we can do so much.” – Helen Keller
