Viking Challenge for MG – 2022

Posted by myasthenia

In-Person Walk – Sunday, June 19

Virtual Challenge – June 4 to June 18

LET’S CONQUER MYASTHENIA GRAVIS

There’s a way for everyone to be included in this year’s Viking Challenge. Join us for the in-person Walk on Sunday, June 19 (Happy Father’s Day!). Or take the Virtual Challenge and do as many miles as you choose in your own way (walk, run, bike, swim), from Saturday, June 4 to Friday, June 17. You even can do both!

Our goal is to lift up those who struggle with this often disabling rare autoimmune neuromuscular disease. In addition to being our 10th annual walk for those with MG, this year also is Conquer MG’s 50th Anniversary! Celebrate with us!

All proceeds support the mission of Conquer Myasthenia Gravis.

This year’s event honors Tracy Cartwright Shackelford, who passed away in 2021. In recognition of her service as a Conquer MG Board member and compassionate advocate for the MG community, Conquer MG will announce the recipient of the Tracy Shackelford MG Service Award at the Walk. 

 

SIGN UP

Click the blue Sign Up button above to go to the RunSignUp registration website. Sign up online anytime between now and 11:59 CT Thursday, June 16. Day-of registrations will be accepted at the Walk. Choose your event: 

In-Person 1-3 Mile Walk – $40, $50, or $15

    • Adults – $40  
    • On Walk day – $50
    • Kids under age 13 – $15
  • A small transaction fee applies to online registrations.

Virtual Viking Challenge – $40

Both in-person and virtual! – $45 (such a deal!) You can choose both when you register.

Participate as a rugged individual(!), or invite your friends and family to join your team. 

Team captains should register the team first, then others can choose this team when they sign up. Need to register more than one person? Just follow the prompts.

 

IN-PERSON WALK – JUNE 19

Bring your warrior helmets, horns, beards, and braids for this year’s 10th Annual Viking Walk. The circular path around the park allows you to choose your distance, whether it’s a block or two, or three miles.   

WHERE

Berens Park, 493 Oak Lawn Avenue, Elmhurst, Illinois 

SCHEDULE – Sunday, June 19

  • 8:30 a.m. – Registration opens 
  • 9:00 a.m. – Welcome & Announcements  
  • 9:15 a.m. – Walk starts  
  • 10:30 a.m. – Raffle prizes & awards announced

Raffle prizes, sponsor giveaways, local health & wellness providers, and snacks. Be sure to stop by the This-is-what-MG-is-like stations.

 

VIRTUAL CHALLENGE – JUNE 4 TO JUNE 17

Talk about flexibility! 

  • Participate on your own, or invite family and friends to join you. 
  • Choose how to complete your miles – walk, run, bike, swim, paddle. 
  • Complete as many miles as you like from Saturday, June 4 to Friday, June 17. 
  • Submit photos and compete for prizes.
  • All miles must be logged into RunSignup by noon, Saturday, June 18, to be eligible for prizes.

As you walk, run, bike or swim your way through the Challenge, please share your accomplishments, team, or inner Viking! You can post photos on the Runsignup site. Or email your photos and stories to info@myastheniagravis.org. To be eligible for prizes, we must know who you are!

 

LOGGING YOUR MILES

  • Go to https://runsignup.com/Race/IL/Elmhurst/VirtualVikingChallengeforMG 
  • From the navigation, click “Results”
  • Under Individual Results, search on your name
  • Follow the prompts to enter your activity type and miles. Entering the time you took to complete the distance is optional.
  • You can submit one or more activities at a time. 
  • You have until noon on June 18 to log your accomplishments.
  • The first time you log activity, you can set an individual goal for yourself. 
  • Watch for badges to appear on your Profile page as you work toward your goal. 

When you log your distance, you also can check where you are on the leader board. Are you ahead of your friends? Check back frequently to see!  

Complete your walking, running, biking, etc., from June 4 through June 17. Submit your miles until NOON, JUNE 18. Leaders as of June 18 will be announced at the Walk, and will be eligible for gift card prizes.

 

SWAG AND FUN STUFF…

In-Person Walk

    • T-shirts for participants
    • 50th Anniversary medal for individuals who have MG
    • Sponsor giveaways
    • This-is-what-MG-is-like stations
    • Health and wellness tables with local providers
    • Raffle (bring a little extra cash to buy your raffle tickets)
    • Prizes for the Best Viking and Most Funds Raised

Virtual Challenge

  • T-shirts mailed to your home
  • 50th Anniversary medal for those who have MG mailed to your home
  • Downloadable print-at-home bib (to take a photo with!)
  • Prizes for the Best Photo, Most Miles, and Most Funds Raised

 

FUNDRAISING: THE HEART OF THE MATTER

Ah, the heart of the matter. Your support is vital to help Conquer MG support people who have myasthenia gravis. 

You can set up your own fundraising page for the Viking Challenge for MG when you sign up, or later. Share your own story, and invite others to support this cause. Your friends and family can add any amount – each dollar counts. (Note: Be sure to use your Team name for your fundraising page if you want to ask people to donate on behalf of your Team.) Your confirmation email will include a link that you can share with others. 

Facebook fundraisers are another easy way to raise funds for the cause. Here’s a link to get started:  https://www.facebook.com/fund/ConquerMyastheniaGravis/. We’ll make sure these amounts are added to our overall Virtual Viking total at the end of the challenge.

Proceeds from the Virtual Viking Challenge make it possible for Conquer MG to complete its vital work: support, education, awareness, and research funding to improve the lives of those who have myasthenia gravis.

 

OR JUST CLICK “DONATE”  

Maybe you’re not up for walking or running or fundraising right now. Click the yellow DONATE button and you can donate in honor of someone, or donate to their fundraiser (as long as they have set up a fundraising page). 

All proceeds support the mission of Conquer Myasthenia Gravis. Going strong for 50 years, Conquer MG provides support, information, advocacy, and research funding to those dealing with this rare autoimmune disease.  

QUESTIONS?

If you have any questions about this virtual challenge, contact Conquer MG at info@myastheniagravis.org or call 800-888-6208.

ABOUT MYASTHENIA GRAVIS

Myasthenia gravis impairs communication between nerves and muscle, causing sometimes fluctuating and sometimes severe weakness. Symptoms can occur in any combination. They include drooping eyelid(s); double vision; weak arms, hands, neck, face, or legs; difficulty chewing, smiling, swallowing, talking; undue fatigue; difficult breathing; or sense of balance difficulty.

 

In Memory of Tracy Shackelford, MG Advocate

Posted by myasthenia

Tracy with husband Mike Shackelford

 

By Mike Shackelford

Tracy Shackelford, my wife, passed away in August 2021 after a long battle with myasthenia gravis.  She will be dearly missed by family and friends.  She and I had nearly 30 years together (26 married), and she was a very special person. Let me share a little bit with you.

Tracy grew up in Wisconsin, mainly in the scenic La Crosse area.  She was always outgoing and very intelligent.  She received scholarships to the University of Wisconsin – Madison, where she got a B.S. and M.S. in Nuclear Engineering (pretty impressive stuff)!  After graduating, she worked for ComEd, focusing on Nuclear Plant safety systems.  After about six years there, we had a daughter, and Tracy decided she would rather focus on motherhood and all the joy that comes with raising a child.  Eventually, she missed working, and studied for certification as a Nuclear Medicine Technologist (NMT), to work on PET-CT scanners.  It amazed me how much one had to learn to get certified in this; no small accomplishment.  She loved this job very much as she was able to help people out, and she was very good at this.

While working as a NMT, the signs that she had MG appeared.  First it was just a problem with vision in one eye, and over time evolved into full body weakness.  Tracy was rightfully upset when she had to resign as an NMT, a job which truly brought her joy. Simple things like taking the dog for a walk, a bike ride, climbing stairs, and eventually even having the strength to brush her teeth became a daily challenge.

Tracy had great MG doctors at the University of Illinois – Chicago.  She tried many types of medications and treatments, but nothing really seemed to work.  Through all of the drugs, tests, and procedures that she endured, she always would try to maintain a positive attitude.  The nurses loved to be with her.  Tracy would also love to bake cookies or muffins when she had moments of strength to bring in to the nurse staff.  Again, she was always thinking of others.

Tracy was active in the MG community. She was always giving advice in MG Facebook groups, or just being a friend to somebody who needed a boost.   Additionally, we would attend several MG walks in the Chicago suburbs, which was a great way to meet people in person with similar stories and contribute to the cause.  In 2020, she saw an opportunity to join Conquer MG as a member of the board, focusing on social media activities. She really loved her job and it made her very proud to contribute to this organization.

The loss of Tracy has created a hole in the lives of anybody that knew her.  She was a kind spirit, always giving help and love to others.   She was a fighter as so many who suffer with MG are.  She never gave up hope though.   Someday there will be cures or treatments which really impact quality of life for people with MG.  It’s important for us to all give to this cause so that can be a reality for the future, and talk with your friends about this disease, as it is not very well known to the public.

A Note from Conquer MG

Tracy made a big impact during her short tenure as Conquer MG Board Trustee.  She rolled up her sleeves with social media, the Viking Challenge, Wellness Committee, and represented Conquer MG at the virtual NORD conference. Long before she joined the Board, we knew Tracy for her compassion and concern for others with MG. We thank Mike for sharing this tribute. – Conquer MG Board and Staff 

About Sarah Bolton

Posted by myasthenia

Interviewer for Conquer MG’s “Finding Strength One Day at at Time” Series

Sarah Bolton is a resilience coach and rare disease advocate.

Prior to becoming a coach, she worked as a cosmetologist and enjoyed helping people feel beautiful and confident in their own bodies. Several years ago during a blow drying class at the salon, she became unable to pull the round brush through the hair, and the blow dryer felt as heavy as cinder blocks. Soon after, she was diagnosed with myasthenia gravis. Sarah quickly realized that her career working behind the chair was unsustainable because of the frequent episodes of MG muscle weakness, especially in her hands.

Sarah worked with a coach prior to her diagnosis and saw the positive impact coaching had on her own life. So she decided to become a coach herself. Now, instead of being a hair-apist in the beauty industry, Sarah is able to help people in a different and even more profound way through the framework of coaching. She especially loves working with women in leadership roles as well as other folks living with invisible/chronic illnesses. In partnering with her clients, Sarah helps folks shift their focus away from how they are limited, tune into their own creativity, reinvent their relationships with their bodies so that they are in tune with what they need, and create their lives based on what they CAN do despite the challenges.

You can contact Sarah via email at bolty555@gmail.com or connect with her on Instagram at www.instagram.com/boltysbazaar.