Mattie Miracle Walk 2023 was a $131,249 success!

Mattie Miracle Cancer Foundation Promotional Video

Thank you for keeping Mattie's memory alive!

Dear Mattie Blog Readers,

It means a great deal to us that you take the time to write to us and to share your thoughts, feelings, and reflections on Mattie's battle and death. Your messages are very meaningful to us and help support us through very challenging times. To you we are forever grateful. As my readers know, I promised to write the blog for a year after Mattie's death, which would mean that I could technically stop writing on September 9, 2010. However, at the moment, I feel like our journey with grief still needs to be processed and fortunately I have a willing support network still committed to reading. Therefore, the blog continues on. If I should find the need to stop writing, I assure you I will give you advanced notice. In the mean time, thank you for reading, thank you for having the courage to share this journey with us, and most importantly thank you for keeping Mattie's memory alive.


As Mattie would say, Ooga Booga (meaning, I LOVE YOU)! Vicki and Peter



The Mattie Miracle Cancer Foundation celebrates its 7th anniversary!

The Mattie Miracle Cancer Foundation was created in the honor of Mattie.

We are a 501(c)(3) Public Charity. We are dedicated to increasing childhood cancer awareness, education, advocacy, research and psychosocial support services to children, their families and medical personnel. Children and their families will be supported throughout the cancer treatment journey, to ensure access to quality psychosocial and mental health care, and to enable children to cope with cancer so they can lead happy and productive lives. Please visit the website at: www.mattiemiracle.com and take some time to explore the site.

We have only gotten this far because of people like yourself, who have supported us through thick and thin. So thank you for your continued support and caring, and remember:

.... Let's Make the Miracle Happen and Stomp Out Childhood Cancer!

A Remembrance Video of Mattie

November 27, 2013

Wednesday, November 27, 2013

Wednesday, November 27, 2013

Tonight's picture was taken in November 2006. Mattie was four years old and one of the things he loved to do was paint. Painting in our living room to be exact. It was not an unusual sight for newspaper to be on the floor, paint out, and Mattie working away. The funny moments were when Mattie would paint with his feet. He actually created some beautiful creations that way. However, I was fortunate because Mattie was a neat kid and appreciated the fact that if he ran around with paint on him, it would get over rugs and furniture. Which made my clean up of the area and him much easier. Literally there were times I would pick Mattie up from the newspapers and bring him directly into the kitchen sink to clean up and remove his clothes with paint. With Mattie it was never boring!

Quote of the day: There is a difference between interest and commitment. When you're interested in something, you do it only when it's convenient. When you're committed to something, you accept no excuses, only results. ~ Kenneth H. Blanchard


I found tonight's quote and immediately it resonated with me. Throughout my life I have been committed to various causes and forms of work. Part time jobs for me were always a riot, because I put in more hours than those who worked full time jobs. The only difference of course is I wasn't paid for all my hours! The joke when I was in graduate school was.... Vicki must never sleep! My response to that was always.... yes I sleep eventually. But giving 100% is always important to any task or assignment I take on, and I most likely won't take something on if I can't do it right. Attention to detail is important and this level of pride in one's work is how we leave our personal mark on things.

I am not simply interested in the Foundation, nor does it just occupy my time. I am committed to the Foundation and helping others, but always my motivation or core focus is Mattie's memory and his courageous battle. When I read Blanchard's quote tonight, it spoke to my frustrations at times. I expect everyone who works with Mattie Miracle to have the same passion, the same drive, and the same tenacity. Naturally I know this isn't possible or realistic, but there is something to be said to the fact that when there is a will there will be a way.

I was literally glued to the computer all day, jumping from administrative Foundation issues, to brain storming with a board member about other psychosocial areas for us to pursue. It is amazing when you brainstorm, what pops up. This board member has a way of putting into words what he observes me doing and what is missing from cancer care. I may know these things, but when someone else voices them and points out that the direction the Foundation is going is crucial, it makes me take notice. Needless to say as we approach Thanksgiving, I am deeply grateful to all those in our life who find the time to spend with us and the Foundation, and help us make a difference in the psychosocial care of children with cancer.
 

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