TACOS FOR CHARITY!

Go to Rubios in Mission Valley on WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 1st with the coupon below and 20% of your transaction goes to our charity!
COUPON IS GOOD FROM 2PM - 9PM      SEE YOU THERE!!   

ADDRESS TO RUBIOS IN MISSION VALLEY:
2075-A CAMINO DE LA REINA, SAN DIEGO, CA 92108

CLICK HERE FOR RUBIOS MENU

A Very Special Thanks to our Donors

Here's a list of supporters who have already donated to the American Liver Foundation, you are all so awesome!!

Margarita Castillo

Anna Dzhabaryan

Kenneth Farrell

Irma Torres- Garcia

Thomas Castillo

Eric Dietz

Michael Leewright

Luz Vega

Sharron Hayes

Michael Coffee

Chad Hilton

Kim Janeki

Sammy Howell

Francesca Corti

Ramona Selman

Noe Ramirez

Katie Turner

Sergio Diaz

Isabel Harper

Janet Barney

Lisa Graham

David Taboada

Rudy Gonzales

Sarah Fosu-Mensah

Angela Austin

Andrea Gloria

Christina Borden

Adora Diaz

Dr. Thomas Castillo

Karen Castillo

Who wants tacos ?!?!??!

Who wants tacos?!?! Trick question! Everyone wants tacos!!! 
 Yesssssss tacos y burritos!!! 

Come to Rubios in Mission Valley on December 1st with the coupon below and 20% of what you buy will go to my charity!

Happy Thanksgiving Everyone!

Just finished the Race for the Hungry! 

To reflect on the Thanksgiving Holiday, Bryanna and I have taken a step back today to really simmer on the experience of having just attended the CNN Heroes Tribute Show on Saturday in Los Angeles. It was inspiring to see the heroes describe the progression of their charity, how one simple idea can transform so naturally into a full fledged cause. If there was one common thread that was made clear that night, it was that each of the heroes noticed a problem they wanted to fix... and then simply acted on the idea.  Plain and simple.  None of them indicated that they had a specific goal that they wanted to accomplish in the beginning, but they ALL had the drive to help people and that was all they really needed to know they were headed on the right path.  In pursuit of their charity, most of the heroes made overwhelming sacrafices with their families, careeers, financial status, etc.  One could argue that it was necessary for them to take such risks in order to progress to where they are today...as unsettling that may sound to so many of us. If there was one point that was really essential to all the various causes, it was that the act of charity in the eyes of the heroes is so natural, simply the basis of humanity.  Ah.  That concept in and of itself hit a nerve for me when I heard it.

As will be announced this evening in tonights broadcast of the CNN Heroes Awards, The CNN Hero of the year for 2010 is Anuradha Koirala, who is helping to end sex trafficking in Nepal. Anuradha helps women and children who have been forced into sex trafficking and domestic violence. She provides the women and children with teachers, counselors, medical personnel and a place to live to help rehabilitate them to re-enter society. Many of those who help rehabilitate the women and children are also survivors themselves.  Anuradha and her staff also patrol the borders of Nepal, where the trafficking often takes place. Of all the women who are supported by Koirala’s effects, none have returned back to the streets, as the organization has a 100% percent success rate.  Congratulations to Anuradha Koirala and her amazing and inspiring story. 
For more information on her story and cause, please click here: 
 HERO OF THE YEAR STORY

Moving into the Holiday Season, let's remember how these heroes have dedicated their entire lives for various causes.  We all may not have a whole lot of time or money to do everything that we would like to do for charity, but it is truly necessary as humans for all us to find a way to give back to our communities. 
I hope this Holiday Season, everyone will have the chance experience that good feeling you get in your gut when you have done something good for someone else who is less fortunate.  If you can't donate money, donate a few hours of your time to a local food bank or homeless shelter.  Every little bit helps. Seriously. 

Anyway...simmer on it. We got about a month 'til Christmas, so we got time to give back! Til then...

Happy Thanksgiving Everyone!

Sincerely,

Erica Castillo

RUN FOR THE HUNGRY 10K AND 5K IN SAN DIEGO

Hey Supporters,

Wishing everyone safe travels this week for the Thanksgiving Holiday!  Speaking of traveling, my amazing mother is joining me in San Diego for my Thanksgiving Run For The Hungry 10K.  Can't wait to run for a great cause with one of my favorite people in beautiful San Diego!  Hope everyone has had the chance to donate food or time this week for those who are less fortunate.

For more information on the Thanksgiving race in San Diego at Petco Park that I will be running, click here: http://kathyloperevents.com/hungry/

Get your "om nom" on!  Happy Thanksgiving Everyone!

Sincerely,

Erica Castillo
ALF Carlsbad Marathon Running Team Member - San Diego

2010 CNN HEROES AWARDS OVERVIEW

We were so thrilled to have been invited to attend the CNN Heroes Tribute show last night in Los Angeles. We both believe this night to have been a once of a lifetime experience, and consider it to be life changing in so many ways.  Having attended the show has proved to us how committed we are to charity and that we are on the right track, wherever it shall lead us.  We both feel that charity is an important aspect of basic humanity, and raising awareness is just a small part of the process.
There are various points and ideas we wish to share with everyone in regards to what we have learned, and plan to do so this week as we come into the Thanksgiving holiday.

In the meantime, please visit the CNN Heroes website, and pay witness to how a simple action and idea can affect so many people in a positive manner.

http://www.cnn.com/SPECIALS/cnn.heroes/index.html

Make sure to watch the airing of the show on CNN on Thanksgiving Day.

Sincerely,

Erica Castillo and Bryanna Parra

PHOTOS

ALL 10 CNN HERO NOMINEES ON STAGE

CONGRATULATIONS TO ANURADHA KOIRALA

ALL 33 CHILEAN MINERS ON STAGE

ERICA CASTILLO - ALF RUNNER



BRYANNA PARRA- ADMIN EXTRAORDINARE



CNN HEROES TRIBUTE AWARDS THIS SATURDAY

Dear Supporters,

Erica Castillo and Bryanna Parra were invited to attend the CNN Heroes Tribute Awards Show this Saturday in Los Angeles! So excited! Thank you to Nancy Parra Ramirez with Childhelp for making this happen!!!!
We will work to make the American Liver Foundation sooo proud at the Awards Ceremony, in hopes of obtaining more donations for our charity. 

Click link below for more info on CNN Hero Nominees for 2010 and Tribute Show.

VOTE FOR YOUR CNN HERO!

CNN HEROES TRIBUTE SHOW SCHEDULED APPEARANCES

Training Update from Erica

"Running is a big question mark that's there each and every day. It asks you, 'Are you going to be a wimp or are you going to be strong today?'"
 - Peter Maher, Irish-Canadian Olympian and sub-2:12 marathoner

"I always loved running...it was something you could do by yourself, and under your own power. You could go in any direction, fast or slow as you wanted, fighting the wind if you felt like it, seeking out new sights just on the strength of your feet and the courage of your lungs."
-Jesse Owens quotes (American Athlete, 4 time Gold Medalist in Track and Field at the 1936 Olympic Games, 1913-1980)

"Your toughness is made up of equal parts persistence and experience. You don't so much outrun your opponents as outlast and outsmart them, and the toughest opponent of all is the one inside your head."
-Joe Henderson


Weekends for me are a chance to catch up on work, school, friendships and sleep... but it also means I have a long run planned somewhere in there. Greeaaat.
Sometimes I literally have to prepare myself mentally to get motivated for the long workout I will have ahead, as there are potentially a million excuses I could easily come up with to NOT run that day. There are so many daily obligations that we all have at any given moment, it's just so tempting to leave the running for another day.  I have learned overtime (the hard way, of course) that leaving something for "tomorrow" is such a trap. Tomorrow becomes next week and next month and before you know it, you're doing the EXACT same thing you were doing the year before.  Prioritizing our lives is an ongoing battle and everyone has their next best excuse.  So when it comes to running, I guess doing a little research on accomplished, well known athletes is the most logical way to go about it getting the inspiration I need.
The quotes shown above are great examples of what helps me get through a long run, especially at the moments when I'm feeling exhausted and needing a half decent excuse to quit.  Last week I ran 20 miles, this next week it needs to be more like 23 miles.  So really, when it comes down to it, I just gotta get up and do it.  I could read all the runners magazines, inspirational quotes and fitness articles all I want... but at the end of the day, nothing else matters than the moments where I push myself just a little bit farther than I went the week before.  That's it and that's all. 
So that's what Im gonna do....just get up and do it.
Are YOU ?
CLICK TO DONATE


Sincerely,

Erica Castillo
American Liver Foundation Running Team Member- San Diego
erykahcastillo@gmail.com or sdcharity2010@gmail.com

Show Me The Money!!

Thank you to all of those who have taken the time and effort to donate to the American Liver Foundation (ALF). We have reached  our halfway point in donations, and have less than a month to raise the remainder! The ALF Carlsbad running team overall goal is $50,000, and Erica’s personal goal of raising $500 is going to help reach their goal.

Every donation, no matter the size, makes a difference. Help support the ALF in their efforts to fund research and educating the public about all the benefits in loving your liver.

The heat is on! Well, metaphorically.  We have less than a month to raise the remainder of our goal. With the Thanksgiving holiday coming up, we all must remember to be thankful for our own healthy as well as the health of our families. Donate to the ALF before you sit down to your Thanksgiving dinner and give thanks for your blessings.

Liver disease can affect anyone, old or young. As you have read from our website, self indulgent behavior is not the only contributing factor which may cause Liver Diseases. Liver Diseases can affect even the healthiest individual. Help out the ALF with a donation, and see what a difference you can make for all of us!

Donate Here

A Child's story of Liver Disease

Tyrosinemia: Kyle Wimberg Thrives After Two Liver Transplants


"Things Could Be Worse"
As printed in the February 2004 edition of Leaps and Bounds.
At age 1, Kyle was diagnosed with a rare condition called tyrosinemia. With his third birthday just around the corner, he has already endured two liver transplants, two bouts of viral meningitis, serum sickness, a form of cancer and two broken bones in his left leg. After all this little boy has been through, he's surprisingly happy and content. His contagious smile brightens your day, and his adorable wink makes you melt.

Kyle Wimberg Thrives After Two Liver Transplants

With his third birthday just around the corner, Kyle Wimberg already has endured two liver transplants, two bouts of viral meningitis, serum sickness, a form of cancer and two broken bones in his left leg.

Yet his mother says, "Things could be worse." What she has learned is to appreciate what she and her family have. "When he was in so much pain, I prayed, 'Let him live.' But I also said to God, 'I'll be miserable for the rest of my life, but take him now if it will stop his suffering.' Today, I say 'thank you' for every day without pain," says Janet Wimberg.
Like most healthy babies, Kyle was chubby, but his arms and legs were skinny. At his one-year checkup, scheduled on his first birthday, Kyle's pediatrician detected an enlarged liver, spleen and kidneys, and immediately sent the Wimbergs to Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center for testing. A week later, on Valentine's Day, staff from the Liver Transplant Team informed them that Kyle had a rare condition called tyrosinemia and needed a liver transplant. 


"A Punch in the Stomach"
"That news felt like a punch in the stomach," Janet recalls. It triggered a whirlwind of consultations to get Kyle placed on the donor waiting list for a liver, along with meetings with all members of the Liver Transplant Team to prepare this Cincinnati family for what was to come.
Tyrosinemia is an inherited disorder that causes severe liver disease in infancy. It is so rare that there are only about 600 cases worldwide, and 100 in the United States. If undiagnosed and untreated, tyrosinemia scars the liver and can cause liver cell cancer. In Kyle's case, the only treatment option was a liver transplant.
After a month of waiting, the Wimbergs got the call in March 2002 that a liver had become available. That same day, Kyle went into surgery to receive part of a liver from an 18-year-old who had passed away.
During the next six weeks of hospitalization, Kyle's immune system was suppressed with a drug to help his body accept the new liver. As a result of this routine post-transplant treatment, Kyle was too weak to fight a bout of rotavirus. Then a blood clot closed a liver vein, requiring more surgery to reopen it.
During the summer, Kyle contracted Epstein-Barr virus, which, due to his immune-suppressed state, caused viral meningitis. And in August, doctors diagnosed him with irreversible chronic liver rejection; he would need another transplant. By October, Kyle was virus-free and able to be listed again on the transplant waiting list.


Rapid Deterioration
On Halloween, Kyle was readmitted to Cincinnati Children's because his liver was failing faster than anticipated. "They told us if Kyle didn't get a liver in five to seven days, he would die. I was even considered as a possible living-related donor, but my liver lobe was too small," Janet says. To the family's great relief, Kyle rallied and went home a week later, still waiting.
Their vigil ended in November 2002, when a liver became available from a child who had passed away. "The hardest thing for me to reconcile was that, again, someone else lost their child," Janet says. "We didn't lose Kyle, but we came close. The pastor on the Liver Transplant Team helped us through this."
This time, Kyle's body started to attack the anti-rejection drug he was receiving, causing serum sickness. He was given a new immune-suppressing drug, then contracted Epstein-Barr virus again. It caused not only viral meningitis, but also a form of cancer called post-transplant lymphoproliferative disease.
To treat this new condition, Kyle received "chemotherapy light," Janet says, "which is not nearly as aggressive as the treatment for full-blown cancer."


A Hope-Filled Future For a Pediatric Liver Transplant Patient
Kyle had his last chemotherapy treatment in September 2003, and the latest tests show no signs of cancer. Just as important, his new liver is working well a year after the 
second transplant.
In the fall, Kyle fractured his leg, since his bones are weak from medications. The day before he was to get his cast off, Kyle slipped from one rung to the next while playing on his toy slide and fractured his femur. His cast extends from his chest down, but Kyle takes it all in stride.
After all this little boy has been through, he's surprisingly happy and content. His contagious smile brightens your day, and his adorable wink makes you melt.
Kyle's language abilities are normal for his age. He continues on anti-liver-rejection drugs, and he will begin working with a physical therapist to catch up on walking.
Throughout this rollercoaster experience, Janet became an assertive and knowledgeable advocate for her son. At Cincinnati Children's, she found physicians, nurses, social workers, financial counselors, a pastor and other staff to support her.
"Before Kyle was born, I didn't even know where Cincinnati Children's was; I just knew it was really good if we needed it. Now, I would highly recommend it. They truly care for the whole family," she says. Janet and her husband, John, also have three daughters, ages 5, 14 and 17.
"When the doctors recommended a transplant, they told us we'd be taking a relatively healthy child and making him sick. They said we were trading off a death sentence for a chronic illness. That's what we did, and I'll take the latter."


Article Link:
http://www.cincinnatichildrens.org/about/patient/tyrosinemia-kyle-wimberg.htm

Pediatric Liver Diseases

It's important to know that liver disease does not only affect adults who have made the choice to partake in alcohol or drugs.  Despite all precautions that may be taken by parents and/or caregivers, liver disease also effects newborns and small children simply based on genetics alone.   Below are some statistics which may surprise you, posted by the American Liver Foundation's Pedriactic Center.

Pediatric Liver Disease

Facts-At-A-Glance

• Hospitalizations for pediatric liver disease per year in the USA = 15,000
• Incidence of all causes of neonatal liver disease is 1 in 2500 live births
• Biliary Atresia incidence is 1 in 13,000 live births in USA= 35 to 400 new cases per year. Cost of care is estimated at $7.6 for first year and then $47.8 million for liver transplant care.
• Hepatitis C infection is present in 1 in 500 children age 6-11 years old and 1 in 250 children age 12-19 years old.
• Non-alcohol fatty liver is present in 2-5% of all children.
• 500-600 pediatric patients undergo liver transplant per year in the U.S., almost half of them with biliary artesia, at a cost of over $134 million

Article link : http://www.liverfoundation.org/chapters/westernpa/pediatrics/

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Common Characteristics of Liver Disease by the Children's Hospital of Pittsburg

Common Characteristics of Liver Disease

What are some common liver disease symptoms?

When diagnosing liver disease, the physician looks at the patient's symptoms and conducts a physical examination. In addition, the physician may request a liver biopsy, liver enzyme tests, an ultrasound, or a CT scan (computed tomography scan).

Some common liver disease symptoms include the following, each of which are described briefly below:

• jaundice
• cholestasis
• liver enlargement
• portal hypertension
• ascites
• liver encephalopathy
• liver failure

What is jaundice?

Jaundice is a yellow discoloration of the skin and whites of the eyes due to an abnormally high level of bilirubin (bile pigment) in the bloodstream, which is then excreted through the kidneys. High levels of bilirubin may be attributed to inflammation or other abnormalities of the liver cells, or blockage of the bile ducts. Sometimes jaundice is caused by the breakdown of a large number of red blood cells, which can occur in newborns. Jaundice is usually the first sign, and sometimes the only sign, of liver disease.

What is cholestasis?

Cholestasis is reduced or stopped bile flow. "Chole" refers to bile and "stasis" means "keeping at the same level." Bile flow may be blocked inside the liver, outside the liver, or in both places. Symptoms may include the following:

• jaundice
• dark urine
• pale stool
• bone loss
• easy bleeding
• itching
• small, spider-like blood vessels visible in the skin
• enlarged spleen
• fluid in the abdominal cavity
• chills
• pain from the biliary tract or pancreas
• enlarged gallbladder

Some causes of cholestasis include:

• hepatitis
• metabolic liver diseases
• drug effects
• a stone in the bile duct
• bile duct narrowing
• biliary atresia
• inflammation of the pancreas

What is liver enlargement?

Liver enlargement (hepatomegaly) is usually an indicator of liver disease. There are usually no symptoms associated with a slightly enlarged liver. Symptoms of a grossly enlarged liver include abdominal discomfort or "feeling full."

What is portal hypertension?

Portal hypertension is abnormally high blood pressure in the portal vein, which brings blood from the intestine to the liver. Portal hypertension may be due to increased blood pressure in the portal blood vessels or resistance to blood flow through the liver. Portal hypertension can lead to the growth of new blood vessels (called collaterals) that connect blood flow from the intestine to the general circulation, bypassing the liver. When this occurs, substances that are normally removed by the liver pass into general circulation. Symptoms of portal hypertension may include:

• a distended abdominal cavity (ascites)
• bleeding of the varicose veins at the lower end of the esophagus and in the stomach lining

What is ascites?

Ascites is fluid build-up in the abdominal cavity caused by fluid leaks from the vessels on the surface of the liver and intestine. Ascites due to liver disease usually accompanies other liver disease characteristics such as portal hypertension. Symptoms of ascites may include a distended abdomen, which causes discomfort and shortness of breath.

What is liver encephalopathy?

Liver encephalopathy is the deterioration of brain function due to toxic substances building up in the blood which are normally removed by the liver. Liver encephalopathy is also called portal-systemic encephalopathy, hepatic encephalopathy, or hepatic coma.

Symptoms may include:

• changes in logical thinking, personality, and behavior
• mood changes
• impaired judgment
• drowsiness
• confusion
• sluggish speech and movement
• disorientation
• loss of consciousness
• coma

What is liver failure?

Liver failure is severe deterioration of liver function. Liver failure occurs when a large portion of the liver is damaged due to any type of liver disorder. Symptoms may include:

• jaundice
• tendency to bruise or bleed easily
• ascites
• impaired brain function (encephalopathy)
• poor weight gain and growth
• fatigue
• weakness
• nausea
• loss of appetite

Article Link:  http://www.chp.edu/CHP/P02004

WEEK # 2

Hello Supporters,

I just wanted to drop a line to everyone that has had the chance to visit the website thus far. Thank you so much for your kind words and support.  I am well into week number two of fundraising, and I am happy to announce that I have already received enough donations to reach the halfway mark to my goal of $500 dollars!  The contributions made so far have only encouraged me to work harder on the cause and my training for the half marathon itself.  I am so lucky to have so many encouraging people in my life, and I cannot thank each and every one of you enough for all of your heartfelt support.  There is still much work to be done, so keeping the eye on the prize is all the more necessary! 

Keep the donations coming, every little bit helps! And remember, for every five dollars donated, I will add another mile to my training that week. Seriously, make me earn this! 
NO PAIN, NO GAIN! GRRR! RAWR...and stuff.

Sincerely,

Erica Castillo
American Liver Foundation Running Team Member- San Diego
erykahcastillo@gmail.com or sdcharity2010@gmail.com

Alcohol More Dangerous Than Heroin?

Erica's Notes :

The study I posted below was just release by the Associated Press on Monday, November 1, 2010.  Although the article does not directly discuss the possibility of liver damage, the implications of the study have sparked a lot of buzz on all major news circuits this morning.  I decided to post the article on the website in case you missed it, especially considering the festivities of holiday parties shall commence very soon.  Cheers. Kinda....

Alcohol More Dangerous Than Heroin, Study Finds

by The Associated Press

British researchers found that alcohol damages nearly all organ systems when drunk in excess, and is involved in more crime than most other drugs, including heroin.

November 1, 2010

Alcohol is more dangerous than illegal drugs like heroin and crack cocaine, according to a new study.
British experts evaluated substances including alcohol, cocaine, heroin, ecstasy and marijuana, ranking them based on how destructive they are to the individual who takes them and to society as a whole.
Researchers analyzed how addictive a drug is and how it harms the human body, in addition to other criteria like environmental damage caused by the drug, its role in breaking up families and its economic costs, such as health care, social services, and prison.
Heroin, crack cocaine and methamphetamine, or crystal meth, were the most lethal to individuals. When considering their wider social effects, alcohol, heroin and crack cocaine were the deadliest. But overall, alcohol outranked all other substances, followed by heroin and crack cocaine. Marijuana, ecstasy and LSD scored far lower.
The study was paid for by Britain's Centre for Crime and Justice Studies and was published online Monday in the medical journal, Lancet.
Experts said alcohol scored so high because it is so widely used and has devastating consequences not only for drinkers but for those around them.
"Just think about what happens [with alcohol] at every football game," said Wim van den Brink, a professor of psychiatry and addiction at the University of Amsterdam. He was not linked to the study and co-authored a commentary in the Lancet.
When drunk in excess, alcohol damages nearly all organ systems. It is also connected to higher death rates and is involved in a greater percentage of crime than most other drugs, including heroin.
But experts said it would be impractical and incorrect to outlaw alcohol.
"We cannot return to the days of prohibition," said Leslie King, an adviser to the European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and one of the study's authors. "Alcohol is too embedded in our culture and it won't go away."
King said countries should target problem drinkers, not the vast majority of people who indulge in a drink or two. He said governments should consider more education programs and raising the price of alcohol so it isn't as widely available.
Experts said the study should prompt countries to reconsider how they classify drugs. For example, last year in Britain, the government increased its penalties for the possession of marijuana. One of its senior advisers, David Nutt — the lead author on the Lancet study — was fired after he criticized the British decision.
"What governments decide is illegal is not always based on science," said van den Brink. He said considerations about revenue and taxation, like those garnered from the alcohol and tobacco industries, may influence decisions about which substances to regulate or outlaw.
"Drugs that are legal cause at least as much damage, if not more, than drugs that are illicit," he said.

NPR Article link:

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=130972513&sc=fb&cc=fp