2010 Advocacy Days

Photos from advocacy day 2010

The Raether family with Congresswoman Tammy Baldwin.		Mira shares a smile with U.S. Senator Russ Feingold.
Senator Herb Kohl meets with the Raether family in his D.C. office.		Representatives David Obey and the Raethers connect at Advocacy Day 2010.

Meet Mira Raether

Mira, the only girl in a set of premature triplets, struggled with health issues before she even left the womb. When she defied doctors' predictions that she might not survive, her parents named her Mira Cale, because to them she was a miracle. Her brothers, Vincent and Luke, grew out of their preemie issues, but Mira needed heart surgery and then was found to have renal acidosis. Her kidneys were not correcting the pH balance in her blood, which affects growth, heart, hormones and other functions, necessitating a transplant.

Then another miracle happened. A family neighbor proved to be a donor match. In May 2009, Mira had her kidney transplant at Children's Hospital of Wisconsin. Looking at Mira at play with her baby brothers, you would never suspect what she's been through. Today, Mira has many hobbies including riding her scooter and bike, dancing like a ballerina and playing hockey.

The Bevec family meets with Congressman Paul Ryan.	Staffer from Congressman Ron Kind's office greets the Bevec family.