Genetic Testing, Annabelle Bishop

This is a story about a family in our Mechanicsville community... a family that attends Atlee Church... that goes to school and work like most families do... play sports, attend birthday parties and go on vacations like most families do... what the Bishop family also does that most families DON'T do is deal with EoE (Eosinophilic Esophagitis).  Ashley and AK's daughter, Annabelle, has been living with this illness since birth. They have watched sweet Annabelle come close to death and they have seen her fight so hard for life and come back, finding moments of strength and is even attending kindergarten this year. EoE has caused the Bishop family an enormous amount of pain, but also causes them to embrace every moment of happiness and joy. As hard as it is for them to live with the reality that EoE will always be a part of their life, EoE is only a side effect to an underlying cause - Annabelle's REAL diagnosis is a mystery and requires genetic testing to understand how to really help this sweet child. All of the labs, tissue, muscle, blood, etc. have been taken from Ashley, AK and Annabelle to perform the test, but insurance continues to deny the claim to pay for the test and it is too expensive for the Bishops to pay for.

This is where our community comes in to play.

We are organizing a 5k Fun Run, superhero themed! Anyone who knows Ashley, AK, Annabelle or Mady - their oldest daughter - knows that this family displays superhero traits on a daily basis. Now, it's our turn to be superheros to them and raise the money they need for this test!!

On July 15th, Pole Green Park is hosting the 1st Annual Answers for Annabelle Superhero Fun Run. The money raised at the 5k will go directly towards the genetic test that the Bishops so desperately need.

If you aren't able to participate in the 5k, you can still help with a monetary donation.  Without insurance, the genetic testing cost $15,000!  We can raise this money for the Bishops.  The Mechanicsville community pride and love for one another runs deep and is very strong.  Let's give this family what they need to take care of their daughter the way they need to.

Businesses that would like to make a donation can do so here as well.