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Fundraise for kids like Colton

When doctors told Hope that every bone in her baby son Colton’s body was broken, she struggled to take it in. Soon after, she learned he would need a bone marrow transplant just to survive.

“We felt very broken,” she said. “I just wanted to curl up in a ball.”

Shortly after birth, Hope noticed Colton wasn’t tracking movement or making eye contact. Then at just two months old, he developed unexplained spots on his skin and was rushed to hospital, where blood tests raised immediate concerns.

Scans revealed a devastating answer: every bone in his tiny body had some form of break. Further testing confirmed osteopetrosis, a rare genetic condition where bones become overly dense and brittle. Colton underwent an urgent bone marrow transplant and spent much of his early life in intensive care. Recovery took close to a year.

Today, he is a happy, resilient little boy who is still learning to walk and navigate the world without sight or speech. “He is the happiest, sweetest little boy,” Hope said. “After everything he’s been through, he’s very resilient.”. Hope is now an advocate for research, driven by a desire to spare other families the same experience. “I never thought it would happen to us,” she said. “I don’t want parents to go through what we’ve gone through.’’

By fundraising your way this August, you’ll help us find cures for genetic diseases and cancers that can save the lives of kids like Colton.