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Cubs’ pitcher talks of daughter born with rare disease

June 13, 2009 by Alex Bellamy Leave a Comment

Ryan Dempster, a pitcher for the Chicago Cubs, recently opened up to the Chicago Tribune about his new-born daughter and her fight with DiGeorge Syndrome.

In the interview, the professional baseball player admitted that the experience has "been rougher than anything I can imagine."

The syndrome is caused by a large deletion from chromosome 22, which means that Riley, who is now 10 weeks old, was born without the ability to swallow or digest food. What made matters worse for Dempster was having all this happen while he was on the road with the team.

"April was as miserable as I’ve ever been, being away from my wife, my son, and my daughter’s in a hospital and she’s never seen the outside of anything except an ambulance ride to and from the airport to get medically transported from Arizona to Children’s in Chicago," Dempster told the tribune.

Riley currently uses a feeding tube and is under 24-hour care. Despite the seemingly overwhelming situation, Dempster said he and his wife Jenny consider themselves lucky.

"Some kids’ parents don’t find out till they’re two years old, and they’re making up for lost ground, whereas with us, we can take the early steps to help do whatever we can for Riley’s future," Dempster said.ADNFCR-1662-ID-19217620-ADNFCR

Filed Under: Kids

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Great Dad Talks

Great Dad Talks is a series of conversations with experts on all aspects of the family adventure. With the perspective that “dads don’t always think like moms,” our mission is to support dad voices and our slightly different approaches to parenting. We’ll try to find solutions to every day challenges like getting kids off the couch and making STEM classes available for both boys and girls. But we’ll also tackle bigger issues when they come. The one main theme will be to support dads in the most important role of their lives that of being a great dad. Connect with us at greatdad.com and watch the video version of these podcasts at YouTube.com/greatdadnews

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Welcome to another episode of Great Dad Talks, where we dive into the world of modern fatherhood with Odeani McBean. Together, we delve into modern fatherhood, exploring the transformative journey that led him to become a dedicated coach for dads. Discover how he turned personal challenges into a mission to support other fathers, helping them find balance and value in their important roles. Whether you’re a seasoned dad or new to the journey, this conversation offers valuable perspectives and inspiration.

Check out Odeani’s website threesixfivedad.com

Visit these links and embark on the path to becoming the best parent you can be:

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– GreatDad.com/pq 

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