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September 29, 2000
Hello Everyone! Just wanted to touch base for those of you following my PKD Road Warrior's Drive-a-thon.
First of all, great news! Yesterday, spoke with Woman Rider magazine and they have guaranteed to do a story on me in their motorcycle magazine so more PKD awareness!
Honda Motorcycles, out of Torrance, CA helped get my bike fixed up for the media appearances and also helped me get the magazine story so THANKS HONDA!
Pocket.com sponsored me with their device so that I have e-mail in the RV which I can access from any pay phone or regular phone! They are also linking my Driveathon web site to theirs and will be posting updates on my travels on their site. This provides another avenue for public awareness for PKD! They are also going to do all they can to help ensure I get into the media in the Northern California Bay Area with millions of viewers so THANKS POCKET.COM!
KOA Campgrounds has sent some certificates to help with some RV park expenses so THANKS KOA!
Also, thanks to those of you whom have helped me and provided support to give me the courage to make the PKD Road Warriors Drive-a-Thon a reality! As to my travels, which got off to a rocky start when I left Memphis couple of weeks ago in my old 1984 Coachmen and had (3) tires blow out on me which left me sitting on the road waiting for help for 11 hours over 24 hour period! Now you know why I am seeking a loaner RV.. hoping for much less eventful road trips. Ha!
Finally, made it to Indianapolis, IN where I met with the man at We-Host.com whom sponsored the (www.driveathon.org) site and that has been kind enough to offer to pay all my gas around the USA. His name is John Ray and he is a very kind man, since no one in his family has PKD, rather, he is just helping with web site and gas because he has a kind heart!
My mother, Lucille, and stepfather, Tom, rendezvoused with me in Indianapolis in their RV and then caravaned with me to Elkhart, IN where Coachmen RV is located. They came to provide support and help while I get all ready to pick up the loaner RV from Coachmen. By the end of last week all details were in place and the contract was executed making the Coachmen loaner RV a reality! This week graphics "PKD Road Warriors, Polycystic Kidney Research Foundation, 1-800-PKD-CURE, www.pkdcure.org" are being completed and next week we will be doing the Press Conference hosted by Coachmen RV.
Finally, we will be filming stock b-roll footage for me to take on the road for all TV media. They will film me driving RV, riding motorcycle, kayaking, etc. so that I will not have to do each of the above for every TV station that will air my story across the USA. This will help, greatly, since I do have PKD and get tired very easily and will help conserve my energy on the road. Many ask how I can do all of this with the pain and exhaustion and there is no easy answer for that. Basically, I just try to rest any time I am not doing PKD public awareness/media to store energy for the next project. As far as pain goes I have had it for 21 years and just try to ignore it and keep doing whatever I was doing. It is always there and it does wear me down but I just do it. I think God is helping me to endure all that is necessary to get my story out there to help millions suffering with PKD? I am not a wonder woman -- just a person who suffers with PKD as many of you do. I am just drawing on everything I have in me to make it through each day to try to stop the suffering for all of us! I anticipate being on the road by the 2nd week of October and will head west to Northern California Bay Area bypassing Washington and Oregon due to delay in departure and weather conditions (snow)!
When I hit the road "updates" of my travels will be posted on the driveathon.org site and the pocketmail.com site so please stop in and see how Max and I are faring as we travel the highways for PKD! Hope all of you are well and my prayers are with each of you in the battle against PKD. TOGETHER WE CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE AND END PKD FOR GOOD! Lets get out there and get pledges and bring household name recognition to this disease! Take care. Cecilia Maida & Max The PKD Road Warriors (almost on the road.....)
Cecilia Maida & Max
The PKD Road Warriors
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