The Grenell Family of Twin Lake Dealing With SDS - Learn More About Life for Their Son Nathan

You pull up, and tucked in back off the road is a quiet and humble home where you'd find everything a young family would enjoy.  Plenty of room for the kids to play, nice garage off to the side for dad to get some stuff done...nice hammock hanging near the woods out front...just what some people want when it comes to country life in Twin Lake.  Peaceful and serene, even a few cats running around keeping an eye on everything.

Visit Nathan's Page on Be The Match and Order
a Swab Kit

So, as you pull up you're a few minutes early so you're just kind of waiting till your time to arrive is there, and all of the sudden....the door fly's open and out comes this miniature fireball of a kid in a pair of shorts and some rain boots....he runs up to the car and immediately tries to open the back door....because "his friends are here".   This is how we met Nathan Grenell.  But, let's take you back to how we met his mom quick first.

Michelle Grenell got a hold of me to tell me about Nathan and a rare battle he faces in his life called Shwachman-Diamond Syndrome.  (SDS).  SDS is a rare congenital disorder characterized by exocrine pancreatic deficiency, bone marrow dysfunction, skeletal abnormalities and short stature.  It's a lot for any family to deal with, and in talking to Michelle and her husband Justin you realize that there are probably times due to the rarity of this disorder that they feel pretty alone in the fight.  There are no big named celebrities pushing for action, there isn't really any big government programs, there are just friends, family and neighbors who pitch in when they can and doctors and researchers who do what they can to try and help.  Like many genetic disorders there are not a ton of answers and talking to those immersed in the fight...well, they speak another language because they are forced into a world they never imagined and have to learn all the terminology that accompanies what they are dealing with.  With the magic of communication...I am going to boil it right down for ya.  Watch this.

Want to Help Nathan at the Jacks Games?
Click here to Contact Michelle Thru FB for
tickets.

Nathan needs our help and he needs it pretty bad.  What's being asked of you?  The willingness to learn a little something and have your mouth swabbed out to see if you might be a match for the bone marrow transplant he needs.  There's no cost to you to be "swabbed" and to know that your simple act of willingness to be kind can help this kid, or maybe someone else who could use a hand well, that should bring some satisfaction to you too.

We stopped out the Grenell house on Wednesday which just happened to be "Rare Disease Day" and talked to Justin and Michelle about this complicated and scary disorder and invite you to learn a little more about what's going on and see if you can help.  We talk about some of the upcoming events where you can get "swabbed" to see if you're a match for Nathan or anyone else that's in need of a bone marrow transplant.  We get jumped on by cats...we have a tiny face pop up...we were truly invited in to the Grenell home...and that's what were in business for!  Take a listen.

If you could grab a kid from in front of oncoming traffic, you would.  If you could stop a kid from choking on something, you wouldn't bat an eye.  If you could protect a little person from danger in any way, my gut tells me you would in a second because that is how life works.  We look out for the more vulnerable among us.  At least we should.  If you'd like to know more about SDS you can click on the image below.  If you'd like to help the family out a little and come to the Lumberjacks games they are selling tickets to, click on Nathans picture above to contact Michelle.  If you can help Nathan by something as having a cotton swab in your mouth for a few minutes...chances are.....you would.  That's why you are here and why we work the way we do at Positively Muskegon.