Thank you for helping me reach my fundraising goal! Together we can make a difference in the lives of those living with bleeding disorders like Amelie. I am  committed to raising money to support those affected in our community and raising awareness of the urgency to find treatments and a cure. 

Please consider joining our team Amelie's GT Striders for the SoCal Unite For Bleeding Disorders Walk. This Foundation means a lot to our family as it has helped us connect with other people who share similar bleeding experiences. We have gained tremendous knowledge, support, and guidance through this community, and we want to do our part and give back as much as we are able. No donation is too small and is greatly appreciated. 

Amelie was born on November 13, 2012 in Baldwin Park. She was a beautiful baby, seldom sleeping and always screaming. She was born with a few bruises across her chest, which the doctors brushed off as possible birth marks. In December of that same year, Amelie had a subconjunctival hemorrhage, noted by broken blood vessels in the eye. Again, this curious symptom was considered to be of no concern at the time. In February of 2013, when Amelie was just three months old, we went to a family birthday party. Everyone was so excited to meet little, chubby Amelie and she was passed from one person to the next receiving all the love and affection she deserved. However, when it was time to change Amelie we saw a large bruise behind her leg that seemed to have appeared out of nowhere. We rushed Amelie to Urgent Care at Kaiser in Baldwin Park and were transferred down to the Emergency Room shortly after for observation and laboratory testing. Although Amelie’s blood work came back negative for a number of agonizing scenarios, we were referred to a hematology to determine the cause of the spontaneous bruising. Amelie was initially diagnosed with a Vitamin K deficiency, however supplementing her diet was met with increasing bruising throughout her body. A second opinion in the clinic pointed us down a path of a probable platelet abnormality. Amelie's first year of life kept us on our toes. The more she gained in body mechanics, the more tendency she had towards bruising. Each new tooth was accompanied by bloodied pajamas and sheets. We modified our house to make it as safe as possible. Baby gates and tables were lined with cut up pool noodles to prevent injuries. We also decided to move Amelie out of her crib and into a Pack and Play when she learned to roll over. This was done because she tended to bang her head into the rails, and we wanted to make sure she never fell from that height. Amelie started walking on December 7, 2013, an amazing milestone that came with a whole new host of anxieties for her parents. Amelie was officially diagnosed with Glanzmann's Thrombasthenia on January 17, 2014. 

The Hemophilia Foundation of Southern California has absolutely saved our family. Through advocacy and community building, Amelie has gained the strength necessary to live a life not simply defined by a bleeding disorder. In past summers we went to Hemo SoCal's Family Retreat and had a wonderful time in the mountains with other community members. Camp has been important to our family because we get to reconnect with old friends while also meeting new members of our community. 

My personal goal is to raise as much as possible for this worthy cause. Please help me reach my fundraising goal? It’s easy — just click “donate” to make a secure donation. If you are unable to donate we would love for you to join our team and have you walk with us.

Every dollar stays within our community in Southern California and supports critical initiatives such as funding research to find better treatments, ensuring families have access to quality healthcare, providing access to the best educational resources available, and funding Camp Blood Brothers & Sisters.

Thank you in advance for your support and, united, we will make a difference.

Sincerely,

Elena Inez Iavicoli  Amelie’s Mom😊