The Pack Family, founders of the Ayden Rae Foundation, a worldwide awareness organization dedicated to advocacy for Hyperemesis Gravidarum (HG) sufferers as well as expanding outreach for education, research, and an eventual cure; knew they wanted to make a global impact since the loss of their precious baby Ayden Rae. Since they suffered so many losses due to Hyperemesis Gravidarum (HG) and other pregnancy complications they wanted to challenge other families worldwide to celebrate the love and commitment of a family, education and life-long learning.
With a lifelong dream of being an educator, Vanessa Pack was well along the path towards realizing her goal, having completed an Associate of Arts in Natural Science, Associate of Science in Social Science, Bachelor of Arts in Liberal Studies, and her Master's of Education, Adult Educators and Administrators. Close to the culmination of the education required to reach her goal of a teaching career geared towards K-12, Vanessa had to make a difficult decision. She asked herself, "Do I continue on with my dream of being a teacher or focus on saving mothers and babies by helping to discover a cause and cure for Hyperemesis Gravidarum?"
Vanessa was a volunteering for the Hyperemesis Education and Research Foundation [HER] when she realized there were limited options available when fundraising as a volunteer. The Packs decided to create their own foundation, one that would support all organizations seeking to discover a cause and cure for HG. The Packs held the first ever HG walk on October 20, 2007, A Walk to Remember: HG Walk America, raising awareness in the community and gaining much needed support for those suffering from the disorder. Proceeds of the walk were donated to the HER Foundation. During the completion of Vanessa's Masters in 2012, the Ayden Rae Foundation was born.
The Ayden Rae Foundation supports 1000's of HG families each year, and the Pack Family knew that it was time to incorporate their dreams of blending their two passions Education and Saving Lives through the Ayden Rae Foundation, and GoGophotocontest.com has made this dream a reality. Thank you GoGoPhotoContest.com for your vision and mission to help others succeed and achieve their goals through an incredible online fundraising platform that is making life so much easier for non-profit foundations.
Perry is a father, husband, and Hyperemesis Gravidarum advocate. Before he and Vanessa married, she explained to him that she had 'complicated' pregnancies. Perry could have never imagined what exactly complicated meant!
"Until you are staring Hyperemesis Gravidarum in the eye, living it, there is no way to explain or even prepare for it. I was on the sidelines watching my wife and unborn baby die in our home. Feeling like my hands were handcuffed behind my back, I might as well have been in prison. I felt powerless and wished I could have somehow taken her place. Surviving HG with my wife was the turning point in my life. Surviving HG without Ayden Rae has been a challenging experience, one I'd keep other fathers from having."
Since 1993 Perry has worked at Fort Irwin and is currently employed as a Northrop Grumman civilian contractor for the DOD based at Ft. Irwin, the US Army's premier National Training Center [NTC]. As a master mechanic focused on the operational performance and repair of the Army's HMMWV and MRAP vehicles, Perry, currently working towards a Master of Science in Project Management, is leveraging his professional experience and knowledge to provide a sound operational base for the Ayden Rae Foundation. Both Perry and Vanessa have always had a yearning to touch the lives of others through education. They knew that the foundation would require a great deal of their time and effort, therefore, they longed to discover fundraising opportunities that would be fun and exciting and not force them to neglect their continued efforts. Perry and his wife are looking forward to supporting families with this affliction until there is a cause and cure while impacting families worldwide through education and the United Through Education Photo Contest; Leading the #UnitedThroughEducationMovement.