Sunday, August 16, 2015

Sunday, August 16, 2015

Tonight's video was taken in August of 2007. We took Mattie to San Diego with my parents. Each afternoon, after a full day of touring around Mattie still had enough energy for about four people. So Peter and I would take him to the hotel pool to burn more energy off. That summer Mattie was taking swimming lessons and was really beginning to become comfortable in the water. Overall I would say that Mattie had a healthy respect for the water and was cautious. In this video you can see that Mattie finally gained enough courage to dog paddle to Peter and was showing us this fine achievement! 


Quote of the day: They always say time changes things, but you actually have to change them yourself. ~ Andy Warhol


As September approaches, the childhood cancer community ALL AROUND the WORLD mobilizes into action. It does so every year because September is National Childhood Cancer Awareness Month. With each year, advocates make MORE and MORE of a difference with regard to enhancing community awareness and promoting the color.... GOLD (the official color of childhood cancer). This isn't easy since childhood cancer is not an easy topic to discuss with the public. For the most part it is an immediate conversation stopper. 

Childhood cancer is the #1 killer by disease of kids in our country. The incidence of childhood cancer is steadily increasing, with 16,000 children a year being diagnosed. Although there has been progress in the most common types of childhood cancers, such as leukemia and lymphoma, many types of childhood cancer continue to have a grim prognosis, with some being a guaranteed death sentence. In fact, four children a day die from cancer. Childhood cancer is in dire need of greater funding and research, and the way to help this get accomplished is through public awareness and making this a national priority. 

I have included two lists below that are very applicable to the GOLD campaign. A campaign that is actually world wide, in which landmarks of States and Countries are lit up with GOLD lights for the month of September to bring awareness to childhood cancer. Each year, advocates are able to ADD MORE AND MORE landmarks to the list below. Our hope of course is one day to have a landmark in each State and Country lit in GOLD in the  month of September. 

Perhaps as you read this, the notion of shining GOLD lights on monuments, bridges, and buildings may seem trite. But on the contrary, the symbolism of seeing something in our city and State shining in GOLD is important. It is an important step to making the public aware of the seriousness of this disease, the dire need for more research and funding, and it is only through public awareness that great change happens. Similar to the pink campaign with breast cancer. One just needs to see pink and knows exactly what we are talking about. 

It is impressive how many other States around the Country acknowledge childhood cancer awareness month and yet our Nation's capital does NOTHING. Nothing is lit in GOLD. Advocates have tried asking the White House MANY times. I think it isn't right that Washington, DC remains silent on this issue and this year I decided to write to several officials to encourage them to light certain non-governmental landmarks GOLD. I am not holding my breath, but I also realize I have to start somewhere.

States that have declared September is Childhood Cancer Awareness Month:

Utah, California, Wisconsin, Connecticut, Texas, West Virginia, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Indiana, Colorado, New Hampshire, and Iowa.

Landmarks in other States which light up in GOLD in honor of Childhood Cancer Awareness Month (some select a day, a week, or the whole month to light up in GOLD):

Oklahoma City's Landmark SkyDance Bridge

Merchandise Mart Building; Chicago, IL

The Seattle Great Wheel; Seattle, WA

The Bank of America Tower and  The Omni Hotel; Dallas, TX  

Sundance Square and The Pier One Tower;  Ft Worth, TX

The Indianapolis Power & Light Company, Indianapolis, IN

The Terminal Tower; Cleveland, OH

Woodman Life Tower; Omaha, NE

Stewart Street Bridge; Dayton, OH

The Electric Tower; Buffalo, NY

Niagara Falls; Niagara Falls, NY

The Peace Bridge; Buffalo, NY

The Trade Center 128; Woburn, MA

Zakim Bridge; Boston, MA

The Prudential Tower and The Atlantic Wharf; Boston, MA

The Empire State Building; New York City, NY

The Indianapolis IPL Building; Indiana