My 10-year-old son Cache is charming, competitive, tenacious, funny and thoughtful. He lights up a room when he enters it and leaves a smile behind when he goes. He loves sports, especially basketball, but also tetherball and swimming. He also enjoys goofing off with his friends and family, and beating me at board games.
Like me and one of his two sisters, Cache has CMT1A. He has severe muscle pain and wears orthotics to assist his walking. Cache played baseball for four years, but recently the pain in his legs became too much for him. He never let on to his team how much pain he was in, but he had to be carried to the car after games because of it.
Cache makes friends wherever he goes and has an incredibly sensitive heart. His ability to stay positive inspires those around him daily. He draws from his own experiences to find empathy for anyone else who struggles and likes to sit on the Buddy Bench at school for kids who need a friend. Cache doesn’t let what he can’t do define who he is. He might be one of the one in 2,500 who has CMT, but to those who know him, he is one in a million.