Let me give you a little back story here… I have been very conscientious about my personal interests and work. When the Walk came up I was very careful not to ask anyone at work for donations. I even went so far as to send work friends a personal email (to home email addresses) saying I wanted to share this with them as a friend only.
Now, there are freshly formed committees at work for different things. Yesterday, the W.I.C.K.I.D. committee met for the first time (I can’t remember exactly what the acronym stands for {banks sure love acronyms} but it’s “Wellness, Interior, Community, something else…”) and they begin discussing the community involvement stuff. Jackie mentions her Mom has MS, Ted mentions his animals (ASPCA) and Angela mentions that I’m doing the Lupus Walk on September 10th and could they start there? The Pittsburgh (aka non-local) manager ,who was moderating, didn’t say a word so they move forward thinking they’re going to do this fun & helpful thing. Rosa emails me to say they want to send an email out to both sites (our team and the team in Pittsburgh) letting them know about my upcoming event.
I was so excited to see that email! While I had been tip-toeing around the topic here was a forum to share my cause. When Rosa came in I gushed all over her with thanks!
I whipped together a form letter…
As the Team captain of Dolly’s Darlings, our team at the 13th annual Walk for Lupus Now on Saturday, September 10th, 2011. I would like to invite you and your family and friends to join us to raise awareness and funds for the Cleveland Chapter of the Lupus Foundation of America and the fight against lupus.
Our Team goal is to raise $500.00, sign up and join our team and make a difference for our employees touched by lupus at:
Please also visit www.lupuscleveland.org for more information.
I’ve had Lupus for 21 years. My Mother passed away many years ago from Lupus and it is in her honor that I walk. Lupus is a chronic, autoimmune disease, which causes inflammation of various parts of the body, especially the skin, joints, blood and kidneys. The body’s immune system normally makes proteins called antibodies to protect the body against viruses, bacteria and other foreign materials. These foreign materials are called antigens. In an autoimmune disorder such as lupus, the immune system loses its ability to tell the difference between foreign substances (antigens) and its own cells and tissues. The immune system then makes antibodies directed against itself.
I always say I have Lupus but it doesn’t have me!
Ninety percent of every dollar donated stays in Ohio ensuring the chapter continues to provide the only valuable statewide free educational program’s, advocacy and awareness efforts including lupus symposiums across the state. 1.5 million Americans have lupus and today there is hope after an unbelievable 52 years of no new drugs. Many more researchers and pioneers than ever before are working to develop safer and more effective treatments and a cure. Many current treatments are toxic and dangerous. Eisenhower was president when the FDA last approved a drug for lupus.
Thank you so much for your support! I’ll keep you updated on our team’s progress! Together, we can make a tremendous difference!
My sincere thanks,
My sweet co-worker sends an email to the two sites saying this was via the W.I.C.K.I.D. committee and would they consider helping in my efforts & to see my letter below. I emailed all the members of the committee when the email went out with my gratitude! Thankfully, I included my big boss on that email…
Shortly there after, my boss lady Stacy asks to “take a walk”. Nothing good happens when we “walk” so I am already fearful of what’s about to be said. She basically says that they have to send out a retraction email because this is against the companies policy. Thankfully, she’s one of the people who received a personal email and she knew how careful I had been during my fund raising so as to not cross this line.
I baulk and immediately start crying.
This is a nightmare come true. Not only have I bared myself to all of these people (not many co-workers knew before today that I have Lupus), I asked for their help (not so easy either) and now, now the company has to come back to un-do everything? I went to the bathroom and cried with Stacy in tow. God love her for listening! I went back to my desk to finish my morning work and simply couldn’t stop crying. I finished up, messaged a few friends I was taking a break and ran for the door.
Still crying, I got outside with Rosa hot on my heels. She’s totally apologetic and feeling horrible over the pain she’d inadvertently caused me but I don‘t blame her in the least. We talked some more and we decided to go see the big boss. The big boss is very friendly, willing to listen and basically all the things a good boss should be for their employees. We lay out the lead up and how her counterpart in Pittsburgh either threw the committee folks under the bus (knowing it was against company policy to endorse something the bank didn’t directly sponsor and keeping mum) or she wasn’t even listening to the meeting when it was discussed (still culpable in my mind). Big boss will now take it to their boss and hopefully bad things will happen to that wicked woman!
In the mean time we’re going to start the steps to try & have the bank sponsor the Walk next year so I can stand on my desk and shout about it if I want! We’ll see if that happens but it’s a nice gesture for now. I also told her there was no way I was going to be able to work and she graciously excused me for the remainder of the day. This was good because I wanted to dig a hole & die or turn invisible or something because I couldn’t/can’t stop the stream of tears down my face. My Mother wisely said “You can’t un-ring the bell. Now everyone knows (whether it has to be retracted or not) and your donations will increase. Try to put a positive spin on this horrible event. Don’t let the dumbasses get you down. Karma is a bitch…” She’s right but I’m still really hurt.
I think I’ll go take a nap…
