Remembering What’s Really Important

There’s nothing more important than family. However, as life gets busy, and we get lost in the weeds of our everyday lives, we often lose site of what really matters and take for granted what we have. It took my daughter, Avery, being diagnosed with Homozygous Familial Hypercholesterolemia for me to remember.

For over 30 years, I’ve known that I have FH and, admittedly, I haven’t been the best at taking my medications. Because I never had medical issues, I took my health for granted. It took Avery being diagnosed for me to remember just how dangerous FH really is and that I need to take better care of myself to ensure that I’d be around to take care of my family. These days, taking Avery to the hospital for apheresis, buying dance leotards that cover her ports, and helping her to live as normal a life as possible serve as stark reminders of just how fragile life can be, and they help me remain focused.

My life profoundly changed three years ago, but it also taught me to appreciate more what I have — my life, my health, and my family. So on this Father’s Day, take time to remember what’s really important — hug your kids, tell them how much you love them, and remember how precious life really is. Happy Father’s Day.

Watch and share Avery’s inspiring dance performance to raise awareness of HoFH and rare disease and follow Avery’s Fight.