In a few weeks I’ll be walking with my fellow Disney cast members for the Greater Orlando Start! Heart Walk to raise money to fight heart disease.
I have a special place in my heart (no pun intended) for this event as I honor my grandma, who passed away many years ago after suffering from heart disease for as long as I can remember. She died my junior year of high school.
Grandma moved in with our family when I was in elementary school. Her health had declined so much she couldn’t live on her own any longer. By trade she was a seamstress who specialized in draperies, but she would often make many of my play clothes and would even make matching clothes for my Barbie dolls! One of her many other talents was cooking. She was a phenomenal cook who made the best dinners and desserts I can remember. These were true meat-n-potatoe dishes with homemade breads, pop overs, brownies, and cakes. I am thankful to still have many of her recipes which unfortunately rarely gets used these days. It was all simple food, but gosh was it delicious.
Here’s one of the few pictures I have of grandma and me.
If you would like to support me in the American Heart Walk, you can do so by donating through my Heart Walk webpage. The walk is the first weekend in October. It’s only a 5k so I think I can handle that. The American Heart Association raises funds to not only fight heart disease but stroke, too. My mother has already suffered three strokes in the past 9 years and miracously, she recovered from all of them with no long term effects. I know that times are tough right now and there are many charities in need of money. I am grateful for anything you can do.
Good Luck! My grandfathers both had heart disease which eventually took both their lives. It is such a great cause.
Thank you Allison. It’s a cause that tends to get overlooked because of the high profile nature of cancer, which has impacted my life as well. My dad died of cancer 19 years ago. I appreciate your support.