The month of February is extra important to me as it marks the month of the heart. I have been living with Marfan syndrome for 30 years; however, I’ve only been diagnosed for 22 years. I try every day to share my story and knowledge about the condition. The more we speak up, the more people we can be helping. Here is my story.

A Marfan or related disorder diagnosis can be elusive for an athlete, particularly an athlete who does not display the typical cluster of characteristics.

“Make it through the door, Jamie. Make it through the door.” Those were my first thoughts as we were leaving the pediatric ophthalmologist appointment for my daughter, Callie (age 4), after her doctor mentioned that we should look into something we had never heard of before, Marfan syndrome. The door I was referring to was the front door to the building, the building I initially thought we were going into just to get our daughter some glasses. I needed fresh air immediately and for my daughter not to see me break down into tears.

On May 17, 2015, Alix McLean Jennings, of Madison, NJ, led Team Cassie in the Superhero Half-Marathon and Relay in Morristown, NJ, in honor of her daughter, Cassie, 8, who has Marfan syndrome. With her permission, we are sharing the letter of gratitude that she sent her many family members and friends who supported her in her effort to raise money for The Marfan Foundation.

The end of this year will mark 10 years since my world changed, 10 years since my parents scoured the internet trying to find anything about this new syndrome, 10 years since I was diagnosed with Loeys-Dietz syndrome. My parents found some of the information they were looking for on The Marfan Foundation’s website. Then, the following summer, they took my brother and me to a conference the Foundation was having in Philadelphia.