Kleinhans Family Overcomes Obstacles and Raises Awareness
The Kleinhans family has ridden an emotional roller coaster over the years, as not one, but two of their children have been diagnosed with a potentially fatal disorder. Because they suffer from MCAD deficiency, siblings Madelyn and Colin lack an enzyme that helps them convert food into energy, so they require special attention to make sure they receive immediate treatment when they get sick. If their symptoms aren’t recognized quickly, they can very easily go into metabolic crisis, which can progress into coma and even death.
Not wanting to take chances with his children’s lives, Brian Kleinhans has been a stay-at-home dad since Madelyn was born in October 2008. When Colin was born this past March and also tested positive for MCAD deficiency, Brian decided to hold the first annual Kleinhans Kids Golf Tournament.
“When my son Colin was born and diagnosed, I realized my kids made up one-eighth of the patients with MCAD deficiency at Golisano Children’s Hospital. I figured, what better time to try to raise money?” said Brian, who hopes to raise both money and awareness for his children’s disorder.
The tournament is set for Sunday, Sept. 2, at Conesus Golf Club, 1 Pine Alley, Conesus. Registration and lunch begin at noon and the tournament will kick off at 1 p.m. with a shotgun scramble. Prizes will be awarded to winners of contests, such as the longest drive, closest to the pin, eighth hole and double or nothing for the green. A chicken and steak dinner and charity raffle will begin at about 6:30 p.m. Registration for the Kleinhans Kids Golf Tournament is open until Friday, Aug. 31. Tickets are $25 for dinner alone and $75 for both dinner and entry into the tournament.
“It’s such a rare disorder that most people scratch their heads when we talk about it,” said Brian. “We feel like this tournament is the best way to give back to an underfunded, specialized clinic.”
To sign up or for more information, please visit http://www.kleinhanskids.com/ or contact golf@kleinhanskids.com.