Why Are We Doing This? What is Shawn's Anomaly?

Recently, I had a very close friend Garrett Oakley sign up for Team Shawn's Anomaly to help raise money for the mission as he trains to compete in the Kemah Sprint Triathlon.  I can't tell you how honored to have him as a part of Team Shawn's Anomaly.  Garrett has a huge heart, and a great support from his wife, future baby on the way, friends, and family.   I know that this event will be the most rewarding event that he has ever been a part of.  If you know Garrett, I hope you can show your support to his fundraising effort as he trains to reach his goal.  Just watching his fundraising page really encourages me that the Shawn's Anomaly mission is being completed with every dollar given, every hour we spend training, and every volunteer hour that is given. I am so excited for Garrett for his dedication and finding his Reason2Race. 

Sometimes I feel it is important to reiterate the mission and retell the story.  If you have heard this, then, don't worry about reading the next few paragraphs.  On second thought,  you might want to just to get acquainted again with the mission:

What do you do when you find out that your child was born a condition so rare that the doctors did not have a name for it? What do the doctors do? When my son, Shawn, was born, nobody really knew what to do, and that left my wife and me feeling completely helpless and alone. Unfortunately this is not an isolated case, and many families will continue to deal with this same situation unless something is done.


Shawn was born with two urethras. His condition was discovered by accident because they could not properly catheterize him for another surgical procedure at 10 days old. Approximately 200 cases have ever been recorded for this condition, and Shawn’s was the first ever at Texas Children’s Hospital. This along with other conditions demanded 3 life threatening surgeries before he was 14 months old.

Lawrence Cisek, MD

Fortunately we had some of the best doctors in the world taking care of my son at Texas Children’s Hospital. Under leadership of Dr. Lawrence Cisek, a team of doctors studied the existing cases to come up with a groundbreaking strategy to surgically repair Shawn. All of Shawn’s surgeries have been deemed a success so far, but he will continually be monitored for the rest of his life.


Unlike other conditions such as autism, pediatric cancer, etc., Shawn's congenital anomalies have very little research, but have affected so many other children. We feel there are so many more, but there are not proper diagnostic procedures.


Modern medicine does not have a definitive answer to this issue. This sobering fact should call all of us to action to prevent another family from ever going these heart wrenching moments again. I was joined with Texas Children’s Hospital to start raising money for a medical research fund to continue the studies that Dr. Cisek started with Shawn. In June of 2011, Shawn’s Anomaly Foundation (www.shawnsanomaly.org) was formed with a mission to provide education, hope, and help to families dealing with congenital anomalies. The journey has begun, and now we look towards others to help raise the money needed fulfill the mission.

First Triathlon Just Weeks
After Shawn's 3rd Surgery

Shawn’s medical journey stirred up many things not only the medical community, but in myself as well. I knew from going through this experience that I never wanted another family to ever have to go through what we did, and I could do something about that. Shawn is proof of how to overcome impossible. To help with raise funds for the medical research, I decided that I would try to accomplish my own impossible. In 2010, I started the transformation from being an overweight smoker to becoming an Ironman Triathlon Finisher. I am currently underway with that journey. The final chapter will be written when I cross the finish line at the Ironman Texas on May 19th, but the Shawn’s Anomaly story will continue.  I am also joined by other athletes, like Garrett, who make Shawn's Anomaly their Reason2Race for their event of choice.

Shawn After 3rd Surgery

Shawn’s surgeries and recovery have been miraculous, and we want to tell his story, the story of the conditions, and my journey to the Ironman, and the ongoing efforts for Shawn’s Anomaly to help benefit society. We want to people to become aware of these understudied anomalies that desperately need research, and ultimately save a family from ever feeling that isolation and helplessness we once did.

For me this mission is not an option or even a passion that I chose to support.  This is an OBLIGATION!  There is not any other foundation out their that focuses on this obviously problem, so to say that our efforts are important is really an understatement.  It is changing and saving lives. 

The next time you go out to dinner, pick up a cup of gourmet coffee, or splurge on that outfit that you might only wear once, I ask you to really consider putting that money to a better use and fulfilling the Shawn's Anomaly mission-Education, Hope, & Help.  It will change your life and others.

To donate to a particular athlete click their name below:

Matthew Murphy
Garrett Oakley

To donate directly to Texas Children's Hospital/Shawn's Anomaly Medical Research Fund:

CLICK HERE

Houston Marathon Video 2012

I had a lot of fun with this one and it introduces the up and coming actor, Shawn Murphy!  Hope you enjoy! 



I have to admit, this one was very hard to make.  I knew how venerable I would feel after distribution,, because it is raw and authentic about my journey.  I will continue to be raw and authentic, and yes venerable, in my next statements below, so please forgive me:

I have had an up and down last two weeks.  Experiencing the Marathon with my family and close friends and supporters was amazing, but the integrity of Shawn's Anomaly was also put in question.  I really don't understand why, but it nearly broke my heart.  I knew that this journey would introduce me to all kinds of people, both positive and negative.  I guess I was just not prepared for someone to purposely try to hurt the integrity of the a foundation that was started only to help other children and families from ever having to go through what we did. 

Somehow, the lines between self promoting and foundation promoting have been skewed in certain eyes.  Shawn's Ironman is the Murphy Story and My Story.  When I originally started this blog, I did not realize how crazy it would become or even considered starting a research fund with Texas Children's Hospital.  I was just a guy trying to prove that anything was possible if you put your mind to it, and Shawn's Ironman was to be my personal journal.

Shawn's Ironman has now become my way of raising money for Shawn's Anomaly.  Shawn's Anomaly is my reason to race, it is what motivates me and keeps me going.  I am not paid to do this, nor do I receive a portion of the donations giving to Shawn's Anomaly or Texas Children's Hospital.  I say all of this, because it has come up in recent conversation. 

We have also put up a Fact and Questions Page up for all that may have questions. CLICK HERE.  Hopefully it will help.

I can't explain to you how alone Rachel and I felt that day when one of the doctors came in and said, "We are not sure how to fix your child," and I hope there is not another family that ever feels that way again.  Something deep down inside told me that I could do something to prevent that statement from ever being said again. 

I am very passionate about making that mission happen, so forgive me if my emotions get in the way and make you question my motives or Shawn's Anomaly.  Sometimes I feel very alone doing this, and when the donations don't seem to be coming in, or when people do not respond or purposely ignore my request to a no obligation party, it discourages me a lot.  I sometimes feel like I, and my family, are the only one that cares. 

What I can't tell you is that if it were only up to me and my family to fulfill the mission of Shawn's Anomaly, it would never happen.  That is why I beg and plead for your assistance.

If I have to step away from Shawn's Anomaly to make sure the mission is fulfilled, I will. Shawn's Anomaly is not about me, my family, or really even Shawn.  It is about a congenital condition that needs research to help other families and children.  If you know of a better way of getting that message out, I am all ears.

2012 Chevron Houston Marathon Results (Pictures & Video) Part 1

Awesome Marathon Shirt

Since the Shawn's Ironman blog is about my family's story and journey to become an Ironman and prove to my son that anything is possible regardless of what life hands you, I hope you don't mind if I share my victories in recent battles and my results at the Houston Marathon in this two part series.  If you do mind, you may want to stop reading right now.  I say all of this because what you are about to read below will make me feel very venerable and alone after I post:

As I passed a fellow runner around the 5K split, I took the time to read the back of her shirt that said, "23 weeks ago, this seemed like a good idea...".  Oh how I totally agreed with that statement at that time, and it made me look around and soak up where I actually was.  I was running the Houston Marathon.  I was doing something that I would have never dreamed possible just 2 short years ago when I was an overweight smoker that had barely ran a few miles collectively in my life.  Did you catch that? Yes I said "smoker."

Before Shawn Was Born
(Holding Cigarette)

Since I was a teenager, I have struggled with an addiction to cigarettes.  This has now become a 20 year issue for me.  I really can't tell you when it started or how it even became an addiction, but it did.  I have tried so many times to quit without success. 

When Shawn was born, I said that I would stop smoking the the day he arrived, but little did I know at the time that we would be dealing with his medical issues.  Cigarettes at the time was my only avenue to relieve the stress of dealing with everything, until I found endurance sports.

At the beginning of my
journey to the Ironman
(Holding Cigarette)

Some smokers may joke about their addiction and say, "I can quit anytime. I quit everyday," but that was just my joke that covered up how I really felt about smoking.  I HATED it.  At first, the training and races were not really affected by my habit, so I continued to be a smoker.  Of course there was always some reason or situation that gave me an excuse not to stop.  Finally after, I really started to see that smoking was affecting my training before the Ironman 70.3 in Florida, I decided to quit.  I was successful in doing so about 1 1/2 months before the race, but he first thing I wanted after completing the race was a cigarette.  The vicious cycle began again.

2012 was a new year for me, and so I decided to make it my resolution to quit for GOOD!  I strategically scheduled my smoking breaks on December 31st so I could take my last puff just seconds before the countdown went to 0 here in Houston.  I can proudly say, that I have been smoke free for 18+ days now without any time of help aids like patches, gum, etc.  It was just plain old cold turkey and family and close friend support that has gotten me this far.  I can't tell you how much better I feel since I took this huge step.  I am starting to smell again, taste again, I don't have to hide the nasty smell from friends or acquaintances who obviously could have smelled it on me. 

Finishing 2012 Houston
Marathon While Holding
Shawn

Finishing the marathon this past Sunday was achieved because of so many reasons.  It was because of the support that I received from text, tweets, and messages on Facebook while running.  It was because I knew that I was running not for myself or even my son, but because it was bringing awareness to his congenital anomalies that may prevent another family from going through what we did as a family.  Most importantly, it was because I had quit smoking.  I could not have finished if I had continued that habit.  The best part is, I did not succumb to powers of wanting a cigarette after I finished the race.  It was there, but I fought through it.  

When I started this journey, I did not realize that dedicating my races to change a family's life would ultimately change mine, but it has.  I feel that I am a better me because of it. 

*Disclaimer- Side effects to quitting smoking may have led to my attitude being short or "presumptuous" in the past few weeks. Please forgive me, pray for me, and keep me accountable to my quitting and actions.  Consult with me if you were have been offended by my attitude, as I will learn from your opinions and apologize.

Chevron Houston Marathon Athlete Tracking 2012

For the 40th anniversary of the race, it looks like the organization went all out in the technology department for spectators and runners this year.  You will be able track the runners in many ways. In case you forgot my bib # it is:

I have decided not to use the Shawn's Ironman Tracker that day because it drains down my phone battery something fierce and I know it would not last the whole race.  Here are your other options to keep track of the progress though:

1. For email updates and texts regarding progress:  CLICK HERE and follow the steps! 
2. You can join the conversation on Twitter for the most up to date information and impromptu contests throughout race weekend.  Send ups your phone pictures, mention @houstongmarathon & @shawnsironman, and hashtag #HouMarathon & #ShawnsIronman in your tweets, so we can follow your action too!
3. The final one is for all of those out there that have grown another appendige to your body like I have called an iPhone or Android phone.  I don't have a droid, but here is the screen shots from the iPhone app the created with step by step instructions:

Download the app by searching HOU 26.2 or Houston Marathon

Once the app is downloaded, choose your event, I am doing the Cheveron Houston Marathon

At this screen there is a lot of great information, but you want to set up your athlete tracking first, so click there.

Once you get ther it will ask you if you are a spectator or runner, I am not sure what the difference is, but I am sure you will tell me later.  Make sure it is on 2012 & Houston Marathon.  Search my last name, MURPHY, and put HOUSTON in for the city.  It narrows down the search a lot.

There you can click on my name Murphy, Matthew to follow me around the course.

I am not sure how dependible this will be during the race, but it looks really promising.  If it does not work the way we want it to, I will be updating:

I will be able to get your messages and tweet as I run, so feel free to send away.  I might not respond, but I will read them, I promise. 

Thanks for all of your support and looking forward to crossing the finish line with you.

My Appreciation Before the Houston Marathon...

As I check all my gear and make sure that I am ready to run the longest I have ever ran in my entire life, I often have doubts creep as to why I am doing this. 

I sometimes say to myself, "Does anyone really care?"

Miraculously, You show up! 

Today, I had two occurrences that has pretty much had me in tears all day, and I must say that the timing was impeccable considering I got some unpleasant news last night that I would rather not go into that nearly broke my heart. 

This morning I received an email from my mother that one of the other librarians found out about our story.  She was inspired enough to email others about our story.  That sparked a chain of events that can only be explained as a miracle. I started getting countless emails from those that read the story, or watched the video on www.shawnsanomaly.org, with words of encouragment and well wishes for the Houston Marathon.  Every word I read was followed by tears of encouragement.

I will have to tell you about the second event at a later time, but let me just give you a hint.  It will get you off the couch and move you like nothing has ever done before.  

I must say, this journey is hard.  It is hard on mentally, it is hard on my family sometimes, and definately hard on my body.  When I get a comment, email, or some word of encouragment, it FUELS me to continue in ways that I can't explain.  It shows me that what I am doing IS worth it.

Thank you to all that support the Shawn's Ironman Journey, the athletes that join me as a part of Team Shawn's Anomaly, and those that donate to the Shawn's Anomaly Fund.  Ultimately the Shawn's Anomaly mission to prevent another family from ever going through what we did with Shawn without education, hope, and help is what this is all about.

Thanks again and see you at the finish line!

Morning...

"[Yawns]...It's morning, everyone! Today's the day! The sun is shining, my R.S.V.P for the Shawn's Anomaly party is sent, and we are gonna... [GASP] I FORGOT TO R.S.V.P!!!"

Don't worry!  It is not to late to R.S.V.P yet.  Just click on the invitation today:

Mentally Preparing for the Houston Marathon...

I have to admit, I am a little intimidated and overwhelmed at the possibility that I will be doing the 40th running of the Houston Marathon in a little over a week.  I mean, I have been running for nearly two years now, and I have been passed or passed by so many people at Memorial who proudly sport their 13.1 and 26.2 Houston Marathon Finisher shirts.  You can tell that they are proud of their accomplishment, and they should be.  Thinking about the possibility that I may wear that shirt excites me, but knowing what I will have to do to get it, scares me a lot considering what has happened in recent weeks.

It really seems redundant to even explain what a marathon is, but I know some of you may not know what the fuss is all about, so I decided to do a little research:

The name "Marathon" comes from the legend of Pheidippides, a Greek messenger. The legend states that he was sent from the battlefield of Marathon to Athens to announce that the Persians had been defeated in the Battle of Marathon (in which he had just fought),which took place in August or September, 490 BC. It is said that he ran the entire distance without stopping and burst into the assembly, exclaiming "Νενικήκαμεν" (Nenikékamen, 'We have won.') before collapsing and dying.

When the idea of a modern Olympics became a reality at the end of the 19th century, the initiators and organizers were looking for a great popularizing event, recalling the ancient glory of Greece.  Since that day Marathon distances races has become increasingly popular.
If you ever ask a person that has completed a marathon what is feels like to know that you have finished, you may get a lot of different answers, but the thing that you will always see is how their face lights up as they begin to answer.  It transforms a person into being someone they never imagined they could be.  It shows that they can overcome things that they have considered impossible, or they won a personal battle they can proudly announce.

Although I hope and pray that I don't collapse and die after completing this years 40th running of the Houston Marathon, I hope that I can announce victory in my own personal battles:

For the past 3 weeks I have suffered from foot pain that I really thought was just cramping at first, but realized that it was much more after the cramps became more like pins in the bottom of my foot.  I went to the doctor and found out that I had an Inflamed Lateral Plantar Fascia, which is just big words for slightly torn tendon in the bottom of my foot.  It mostly happens to runners that over-pronate or you overstride because of fatigue or improper technique.  I am pretty sure mine happened because of my stride.  Coach Dana Lyons really helped me understand the reasons of shortening up my stride and speeding up my cadence to prevent injury, but I have to admit that I may have gotten lazy in the past few months regarding my form.  My laziness has now caused me to stop training, so I can't do a proper recovery, and I am not allowed to run the two weeks prior the race.  I hope I can do the distance, and I know that I will have to depend on my old buddy "Will Power" to get me through this challenge. 
Fortunately, I will have a lot of support on my side from several places.  I am happy to announce that Ray Walker will be hosting a Shawn's Anomaly Marathon Watching Party at his amazing home for the first 75 people that RSVP on the evite (FYI, RSVP means "Please Respond" and not ignore invitation if you can't come.  I think society has forgotten that.)  So I, along with several other members of Team Shawn's Anomaly, will have a lot cheerleaders on the course for sure.  That excites me and freaks me out all at the same time.

I got a little surprise email from my mother that she is also going to be coming in to see me run too.  I can't tell you how excited I am to know she will be there.  She has supported me for so many years by following me around the golf course and now at my new passion, endurance events.  I never expected her to come, but I also can't imagine completing a large milestone like this without her, Rachel, and Shawn being there.  Thank you Mom!  You probably don't even know how excited I got when I read your email.

Finally, I will be sporting my newest kicks provided by Newton Running.  This excites me in several ways.  First, I am happy to say that they have partnered with me to finish this journey, and their shoes promote and support the natural running style that prevents injuries like I received.  On top of all that, they are pretty sexy looking! ;)   Check them out at www.newtonrunning.com. I totally recommend you try out their product considering they garantee that you will like them or you can return them. Here is a video about their technology:

I temporary mute my inner Pheidippides and save my last battle announcement for the next blog, but know this...  This battle has been going on for most of my adult life, so declaring victory will be a huge step for me.  I can't wait to tell you more, and I hope you can't wait to find out. 

It's On Houston Marathon...

Prepare to be dominitated 26.2 miles!

You can track my progress live during the race by signing upf or the 2012 Chevron Houston Athlete Tracker.  CLICK HERE!

 
Also, for those that may be interested, we are having a Shawn's Anomaly Marathon party, but hurry and reserve your spots.  Space is limited so hurry and RSVP by clicking the invitation...

This is a new concept to the website a vlog.  Got to youtube and sign up for the updates:

You Have Questions? We Have Answers!

When I sit down to write this blog weekly, I have to say that I am really surprised and frustrated sometimes by the lack of participation and correspondence that I have seen since we started this journey nearly 2 years ago.   I sometime catch myself thinking that nobody cares for what we are doing even to follow the journey.  I find out that is not the case when I see and talk to people about what we are doing in person. 

I realize that followers of this journey may not be a passionate as I am about helping out other families with children affected by conditions like Shawn.  I realize that people's lives are busy and they are not able to follow the blog as much as they wanted to or at all.  I realize that money is tight and even giving $5 dollars to the medical research may be a stretch for your budget.  I know that everyone values their personal time may not have the time to volunteer or help with Shawn's Anomaly.

I realize all those things, but are those the real reasons why? 

After talking with some close friends about their journey, they told me that it was helpful to have a Q&A segment to their fundraising website.  I am going to start one on the Shawn's Anomaly/Shawn's Ironman sight to help with questions that followers may have about the journey, Shawn's conditions, or the Shawn's Anomaly Foundation.

Can you help me?  I need people to submit questions to me that either you personally would like answered, or questions that should be answered.  To submit your question: 

CLICK HERE

I would like to have Q&A page finished and ready to launch before the Houston Marathon (January 15, 2012), so don't hesitate.  If you are reading this blog, you SHOULD submit a question.  Don't think that others will submit enough questions and we don't need your help.  I can tell you by experience, everyone thinks that way, and I never get correspondence back.  Don't worry about offending me with a comment or question, I promise all questions will be anonymous and I will not take offense to them.  All correspondence helps.

Please send me questions.  I beg of you!

Update 1/6/2011 @ 12:20pm CST:  According to statistics, 8 people have viewed this post and did not submit a question.  I AM WATCHING AND WAITING!