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 19, 2014

Wednesday, November 19, 2014

Wednesday, November 19, 2014

Tonight's picture was taken in November of 2008. Mattie was home recovering from his second limb salvaging surgery and our living room was transformed into a hospital. It was hard to get Mattie comfortable both physically and emotionally at home and I will never forget our Thanksgiving Day and Christmas that year. Mattie was so incredibly depressed and the notion of watching the Thanksgiving Day parade even today brings back bad memories to me. Despite all the chaos, our cat Patches, took her position right by Mattie's side! I affectionately called Patches, NURSE PATCHES, because she seemed to instinctively know when her presence and attention were needed.


Quote of the day: Great opportunities to help others seldom come, but small ones surround us every day. ~ Sally Koch


I went to Falls Church, VA today to make our first candy delivery to the Ronald McDonald House. Some history of the network of Ronald McDonald Houses....... The first Ronald McDonald House opened in Philadelphia in 1974. It came about because of the experience of Fred Hill (Philadelphia Eagles tight end) and his wife, when their 3 year old daughter, Kim, was diagnosed and then treated for leukemia. The Hills camped out in hospital waiting rooms and corridors for three years and saw many other families who did the same. Many families had traveled far to get their children medical care and could not afford hotel rooms. The Hills started a small charity. Jim brought an advertising executive, with ties to the McDonald's corporation, in to help with fundraising. The effort escalated until the first Ronald McDonald House was established as a residence for families of children being treated at the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia. Today there is a growing network of more than 300 Houses around the world.

In order to qualify to stay in such a House, you first need to have a child who is sick and hospitalized and you need to live 25 miles away from the treating hospital! This particular Ronald McDonald House is located near Fairfax INOVA Hospital. To put this into context, from where I live in DC to Fairfax INOVA Hospital is technically 16 miles in distance, so if we were to add an additional 9 more miles I would qualify to stay at the Ronald McDonald House. My point is 25 miles away from the treating hospital isn't geographically far to qualify for such a stay! http://www.rmhc.org/ronald-mcdonald-house


When I went to drop off the candy, I was given a wonderfully warm greeting by Barbara, the manager of the House. Barbara gave me a tour of the facility and I got to meet the executive director as well. There are many aspects about this facility that make a great first impression: 1) the cleanliness, 2) the homey and warm feeling of the space, 3) the bright and airiness of the rooms, 4) the attention to details, and 5) the art work. This is the kitchen space. I downloaded this photo from Google images, I did not take it myself! When I saw the kitchen today it was being cleaned and was spotless! But what I liked about the kitchen was it did not look like an institution.... but colorful, like one's kitchen at home!

This room is entitled the "Oasis." It is meant to be just that, a quiet and reflective space for families to go and be by themselves. To be with their thoughts and feelings, without having noise and distractions. 





This is just one example of the creative art work on the walls.....Helping Hands! It is a decoupage of hands and on the hands are some meaningful messages!





This wonderful playroom was designed by Barbara herself! She takes great pride in it as she should. When she described what the room used to look like, this is most definitely a massive improvement. Of course when I looked at those foam puzzle tiles on the floor, I immediately thought of Mattie! Mattie loved these puzzle foam pieces. He could play with them for hours and as I said to Barbara today.... no one should have to need her house, but if they do, it is wonderful that it is available to them. It is also wonderful that they have access to someone as caring and dedicated as she is looking out for them! After all, she did not know me from Adam, yet after receiving my email and hearing my story, she greeted me at the door with a hug. That said a lot immediately to me about her!

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