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Jessica
Melo and her
SWF Falmouth
Road Race
Team |
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Jessica Melo,
is the
mother of a
young child
diagnosed
with Sturge-Weber
Syndrome.
Motivated
with her son
who suffers
from
neurological
complications
and
seizures,
Jessica aims
to raise
money for
the
foundation
that has
provided her
with
unconditional
support and
just
completed
the Falmouth
Road Race
last
weekend.
Jessica Melo
began
running as a
way to
handle the
stress of
taking care
of her young
son
diagnosed
with Sturge-Weber
Syndrome. A
rare disease
that is
characterized
by
neurological
complications,
seizures,
glaucoma and
typically a
port-wine
stain on the
face, Sturge-Weber
Syndrome has
no cure.
In order to
deal with
the stress
and keep her
energies
focused,
Jessica
decided to
take up
running. A
self
proclaimed
"walker",
she had
never run in
her life.
She started
slowly,
alternating
between
walking and
running
until she
could run
the entire
time. The
running
helped her
focus as she
worked
diligently
and became
actively
involved
with the
Sturge-Weber
Foundation
(SWF). At
the urging
of a few
neighbors,
Jessica
decided to
enter the
Grafton
Gazebo Five
Mile Road
Race in May
2009. She
had been
running for
over a year,
but had
never
thought to
compete.
Completely
hooked from
the very
first race,
Jessica
began
entering
races on a
regular
basis and
even ran the
popular
Falmouth
Road Race
last August.
Already
active in
SWS
awareness
and
fundraising,
she decided
to approach
Falmouth
Race
Officials to
see if they
would accept
the SWF as a
recognized
charity.
Jessica Melo
and her SWF
Falmouth
Road Race
Team
participated
in the CIGNA
Falmouth
Road Race, a
nationally
know race
run by
thousands of
people on
August 15, 2010
and raised
over $25,000
for the SWF.
Please find
the below
list of the
runners,
ages and
times for
the run. I
have also
attached an
image of the
team for
your
consideration.
Pamela
McIntyre:
age 41 -
1:07:41
Helen
Collins: age
36 -
1:07:41
Octavio
(Kevin) Melo:
age 58 -
1:03:00
Jessica Melo:
age 32
1:11:15
Kristi
Callaghan:
age 40
1:11:15
Elizabeth
McMullin:
age 33
1:14:17
Samantha
Tonti: age
27
1:03:41
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