Timmy

Marathon #2 – 26.2 for Timmy

Timmy’s Story:

If you have participated with Team Challenge before you probably know all about Timmy. He has been an honored hero multiple times for the New England Chapter over the past few years. An honored hero is someone that is pretty special in the TC Family and if you know Timmy, and his parents Kouri and Stevie, you know they are all amazing people. I first met Timmy when he was just 5 years old battling to just get better, but you would never have known it (if you ignored his puffy face from the medication). He was, and still is, one of the toughest kids I know and he has such a great attitude regardless of what he is going through. His parents are the absolute best people around and have both been participants with Team Challenge multiple times. I am happy to call them good friends and am honored to join in their fight for Timmy! Here is Timmy’s story. . .

Timmy is 13 years old now, and dealing with multiple chronic illnesses. Agammagloubulinemia (XLA for short) and Crohn’s Disease have proved to be a very tricky and complex combination of illnesses. Timmy was diagnosed with XLA at birth, and started having Crohn’s inflammation at the age of 3. Since then Timmy has required constant monitoring and surveillance, countless procedures, 200 “sleep-overs” at Boston Children’s Hospital, weekly and monthly medication infusions, and three major abdominal surgeries to remove just over 2 feet of small intestine. The amount of school he missed from age 5 to 9 is staggering. Through it all Timmy has embraced his new version of normal with a matter-of-fact resilience, and humor. Playing goalie for his hockey team over the last 5 years has kept him driven to stay as healthy as possible. His work ethic on and off the ice, and most importantly in the classroom at Xaverian Brothers has allowed him a sense of normalcy that is downright inspiring.