Marshall’s Mountain

05/28/2026

For some time, it was difficult to not live each moment in the overcast of a Pompe disease diagnosis. But as Marshall continues to grow and develop, he teaches us how to live and let live. We try to give Marshall the space to experience life on his own terms while giving ourselves permission to let him.

Going into kindergarten graduation today, I wanted to experience the moment for what it was—an exciting milestone for my saucy, red-haired child. He is every bit frolicsome and full of life and for that, we are forever grateful. In his own words, he had “the best year.” Many thanks to his amazing teacher for making this year such a beautiful success!

Kindergarten graduate today. Endless possibilities ahead. 🖤💛 🎓💪

05/05/2026

Tomorrow Defiance County residents will be voting on a proposed tax levy for the benefit of the Defiance County DD programs and services. Without a majority vote in favor of the proposed tax levy, essential programs like the Defiance county early intervention program and Good Samaritan school will be cut.

My youngest son, Marshall, benefited significantly from the early intervention (EI) program. The physical therapy services we received through EI helped us effectively support Marshall and his specialized developmental needs relating to his Pompe diagnosis. Our physical therapist was incredibly knowledgeable and not only provided excellent care to Marshall, but was an irreplaceable resource for Ross and I as we learned from her how to best help Marshall navigate and improve upon some of the physical challenges he faced because of Pompe. Yes, Marshall was also being followed by physical therapists in Cincinnati and Durham, North Carolina, but those visits were often virtual and impersonal or incredibly cumbersome to travel to. Our physical therapist through Defiance County’s EI program brought the care Marshall needed into our home and taught us how to turn play and other everyday activities into exercises that helped him improve upon his strength and mobility. And because the care she provided was so involved and personal, she even helped us recognize when Marshall needed other services like feeding therapy and speech therapy.

Without newborn screening we would have not known about Pompe disease, but it gave us so much more than a diagnosis. Newborn screening and an early diagnosis for our son also gave us the opportunity to access meaningful interventions and therapies that have truly altered the trajectory of his life.
Newborn screening, early access to treatment, AND early access to our local early intervention services have allowed Marshall to develop into the active, energetic kid he is today. We cannot let our county lose access to these important, local services. Tomorrow, please consider voting ‘FOR the tax levy’ and ensure that our community continues to have access to all of the beneficial programs that the Defiance County DD offers.

05/01/2026

This weekend was properly full.
From lifting in the Maumee River bash and raising $3,530 (🙉) for the Marshall's Mountain lift-a-thon to watching my oldest son's team compete in the 2nd Annual Tomahawk Classic ⚾️ our cups are full and our hearts are grateful. I was reminded that there is nothing quite like having the support of your family and friends while you get to do the things you love. I owe a huge thank you to everyone that came to support me at the meet and to everyone that donated to the lift-a-thon 🖤💛 Since our schedule was overflowing a bit this weekend, we opted to complete infusion number 161 on Tuesday since Marshall already had a virtual pulmonology appointment scheduled for that day 🫁 Elaina also opted for a one-on-one date night with her dad yesterday instead of a rushed night at the father daughter dance on Saturday. 💞 Perhaps one of my favorite outcomes from the meet was AJ's interest in powerlifting and him asking to wake up with me at 5:30am this morning to train 💪🫶

04/28/2026

The Run, Walk or Roll for Pompe ends on Thursday. Only a few more days! So far, 156 participants have clocked 7,666 kms! Let's push that total higher! https://pompeday.com

04/25/2026

Weigh in ✅ opening attempts set 👌 it’s about that time 💪

04/10/2026

Run, Walk, Roll or do any activity to support families affected by Pompe.

04/08/2026

As a part of making every move count this month for International Pompe Day, I have signed up to compete in the Maumee River Bash at Defiance College. This event is a powerlifting meet and it will be held on Saturday, April 25th at the George M Smart Center on Defiance College's campus. I have decided to turn my participation in this competition into a lift-a-thon to raise funds for Marshall's Mountain.

As some may already know, not long after Marshall's birth and diagnosis, I took on the challenge of starting a PhD program (this was something I had already planned to do before Pompe entered our lives). Well, after six years as a part-time student, I am nearing the end of that journey and the end of a PhD journey typically means a lot of time spent in front of a computer researching and writing which means I have had to be very intentional about staying physically active. Navigating Marshall's rare disease diagnosis while completing a PhD program has been no simple feat. Powerlifting has been an outlet for me throughout this journey and I am excited to be back on the platform again at the end of this month. I would be honored if you would consider donating to this lift-a-thon [link at the bottom of this post]. You can also follow along with my training on our Marshall's Mountain instagram page or check out the meet live at the end of this month! I will be lifting in the second session which begins at 2:00 p.m. on the 25th. Anyway you can support is greatly appreciated!

Donate to the Marshall’s Mountain The Marshall’s Mountain Lift-a-Thon: Powerlifting-a-thon fundraiser and help them reach their goal.

04/08/2026

This month we celebrate International Pompe Day! While the official date is April 15th, we will be making moves for Pompe all month long. The International Pompe Association is hosting its second annual Run.Walk.Roll. event and this year, we can form teams! I have created a Marshall's Mountain team and have already started logging km. I would love it if you would consider joining me! You can click on the link I have included in this post. When the page opens, click "Join Team" and create your profile. My goal is to see our Marshall's Mountain team at the top of the distance leader board! You can log your kilometers daily through April 30th. There is even a conversation chart to convert a variety of activities into km to be logged and added to our goal. Every move counts and I would love it if you made your daily moves count towards the Marshall's Mountain Team goal! It is free to sign up, just click on the following link and help us raise awareness for Pompe disease!

Run, Walk, Roll or do any activity to support families affected by Pompe.

10/04/2025

Did you know that today is Trackchair Day? And did you know that trackchairs originated in Marshall, Minnesota? How cool, right?!

I remember telling my husband when I had the idea for our Moving Mountains program that it was going to be a success since the Action Trackchair company was founded in a town called Marshall! ☺️

We love that both of our trackchairs are signed out to participants on trackchair day. Our Traverse NT is being used by a participant right here in Defiance County while our Timberline TR chair is currently being used by a first time participant in eastern Ohio! If you’re interested in reserving one of our chairs, check them out on our website: www.marshallsmountain.org
💙💚🏔️

📣 Proclamation: Trackchair® Day in Marshall 📣

Today, Friday, October 3rd, the City of Marshall proudly recognizes Trackchair Day!

Mayor Bob Byrnes has officially proclaimed this day in honor of ATZ Manufacturing and the Trackchair®, a Minnesota innovation that has transformed lives across the country by making the outdoors accessible for all.

Born right here in Marshall, the Trackchair has become a symbol of freedom, independence, and mobility—helping people of all abilities experience the freedom of nature and adventure.

🙌 Please join us in celebrating Trackchair®️ Day and recognizing the impact this homegrown innovation has made on our community, our state, and beyond!

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