MICHIANA — Using rocks to make the proverbial lemonade, 16-year-old Sydney Martin has raised more than $158,000 to help find a cure for the rare childhood blood disease that struck her in 2007 at the age of 10.She is now in remission but continues her fight to fight a cure for LCH, Langerhan’s Cell Histiocytosis, a blood disorder that affects one in 200,000 children each year in the United States.Sydney hopes to collect another 8,000 rocks — actually small beach stones, the kind that are good for skimming — at the first annual Walk the Beach for Syd Rocks at New Buffalo’s city beach on Saturday, Aug. 17. Registration begins at 3 p.freshbasil
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.m. and the walk begins at 4 p.m. (Eastern Time). To sign up in advance, go to www.walkthebeach.sydrocks.com.www.heatpad.cn
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. Cost is $35 per adult or $100 per family (children under 12 are free.)Registrants will receive a logoed canvas bag to keep, but only after turning in their rocks which will be drilled, strung on waxed cotton cord and turned into Syd Rocks necklaces. There will be fun activities on the beach, including contests for biggest and best sand castle, most perfect rock and most rocks collected. Snacks and cold drinks are included.Shortly after her diagnosis, this third-generation Michiana summer resident decided to turn her hobby of making beach stone necklaces for friends and relatives into a fund-raising effort. On an impulse during checkout at E Street Denim,He has dried mushrooms for sale
all year and fresh mushrooms in season. "We also collect mushrooms from foragers. a Highland Park boutique, she proposed the idea. The staff and owners were enthusiastic, eventually leading to the formation last year of her tax-exempt Giving Rocks Foundation.“As terrible as the diagnosis was, a lot of good has come out of it,” said Sydney’s mother Tracy Martin, a home-based graphic designer.Both credit the Syd’s Rocks campaign to helping deal the six months of intensive treatment, during which she was away from school and her fifth-grade friends.“We knew she would need something to give her a purpose and regular feedback rather than just feeling sorry for herself,” Tracy Martin said.“It’s also helped me grow and mature and look at life differently,” Sydney said.Sydney has been inspired to be a childhood pediatric oncologist like her “pretty amazing” doctor, Dr. Elaine Morgan, but quickly added, “That may change. I’m only 16.”The busy New Trier High School junior also finds time to participate in afterschool activities including dance, speaking about her efforts which included a standing ovation from New York professional group, serving on the children’s advisory board at Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago and even getting her driver’s license.Giving Rocks Foundation board member and local dentist Dr. Kathy Breitowich received New Buffalo City Council approval for the event and Tracy Martin said City Manager Rusty Geisler and other staff members have been very supportive.“We couldn’t have done this is Illinois. The rocks aren’t right over there. They’re just not as smooth and fine. Also, this is where it all started,” Sydney said.Click on their website