The PPH Cure
1826 R. Street, NW
Washington, DC 20009

September 28, 1999

Dear Sir or Madam:

In recognition of September as PPH awareness month please find enclosed a check in the amount of $2,069.00 collected through the efforts of a young PPH patient using the PPH Cure and the Hoops and Hops Fundraiser Program.

Meghan Hicks, diagnosed at almost 13 years of age with PPH and a patient of Dr. Robyn Barst, practiced privacy when it came to her medical condition over public awareness. After all, what 13-year-old wants to be different? As a seventeen-year-old high school senior Meaghan needed to fulfill a graduation requirement with a Senior Project. This project contained components that demanded that the student "stretch" themselves as a person and provide a knowledge about PPH through her Senior Project, using the Hoops and Hops Fund Raiser as her community service component. She held the fundraiser at her brother's middle school in May of 1999.

With the support of her family, community, and your organization Meaghan managed to net the over $2,000.00 accompanying this letter. The experience was packed with success and challenges, both of which Meahan embraced and championed. There was also an oral board presentation given before high school staff and community members, another graded facet of the Senior Project. If Meaghan did well in all areas surrounding the project she could potentially graduate with honors. I was told that after Meaghan's oral presentation, there were tears in the eyes of many of those in the audience. She received "exemplary" in all categories and achieved her goal of graduating with honors.

In closing I would be remiss if I didn't mention that Meaghan's brother Andy, one of the ten middle school participants in the Hoops and Hops Fundraiser, gathered over $1,200.00 of the total raised on his own. Even though there were some nice prizes being awarded for most dollars raised Andy removed himself from consideration with the explanation, "I'm not doing this for a prize."

Some might view the enclosed amount as a "drop in the bucket." Please know that the creation of that drop produced a ripple effect that could have never taken place if not for the courage and commitment to succeed of one very young but wise beyond her years young lady, Meaghan Hicks; Class of '99; freshman student at Seattle University, WA.

Sincerely yours,

Mary Jan Hicks
(extremely proud mom, can you tell?)
320 Point Fosdick Place, NW
Gig Harbor, WA 98335