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

March 7, 2017

Tuesday, March 7, 2017

Tuesday, March 7, 2017 --- Mattie died 390 weeks ago today.

Tonight's picture was taken in April of 2007. Mattie was five years old. Peter and I took Mattie to Luray Caverns in Virginia. We had a feeling Mattie would love that adventure, and of course we were right. Mattie gravitated to nature, wanted to always understand how things worked and had a natural curiosity! I'm glad we did so much with him with so little time. 


Quote of the day: How can a person deal with anxiety? You might try what one fellow did. He worried so much that he decided to hire someone to do his worrying for him. He found a man who agreed to be his hired worrier for a salary of $200,000 per year. After the man accepted the job, his first question to his boss was, "Where are you going to get $200,000 per year?" To which the man responded, "That's your worry. Max Lucado


To all my fellow worriers, I think you will appreciate tonight's quote! If we can't laugh over our worries, then alternative isn't pretty! In a few weeks, Peter and I will be leaving town to acknowledge Mattie's birthday. We go away each year. Why? Well maybe not for the reasons you may think. I have found as the years pass by, people forget about Mattie and in addition to that they forget his birthday, and what an important date this still is for us. I am not blaming others, I am just stating the reality. Though I have learned that sometimes my blog is perceived as hurtful. I suppose if I am hurting you as the reader, then try to imagine the magnitude of my own feelings. I use the blog to process my thoughts and feelings, because without that, there aren't too many healthy outlets for bereaved parents to turn to. Ultimately my goal isn't to make others feel bad, but instead it is my hope that my words allow you a glimpse into how a bereaved mom maybe feeling long term. 

In any case, since we will be going away soon, I need a place I can bring Sunny to that is safe and I don't have to worry about him. There's that word.... worry. Something I have perfected over the years. Finding the right match for Sunny is challenging. Sunny is very emotional and human focused. He requires a lot of attention and when he doesn't get it, you can see his sadness and anxiety. Today I brought him to doggy daycare and boarding facility in Alexandria, VA. My goal is to give Sunny a few days of daycare to start to get used to the facility before boarding. 


What I love about the facility is it is very clean, everyone who works there is friendly and loves animals, and they also have various playrooms for your dog based on his personality. 

Notice that each playroom has a webcam, so I can watch Sunny from my computer or iphone! Which I LOVE! Notice where Sunny is here.... practically sitting on the staff member.


Later in the afternoon, the general manager went in to check on the dogs and look who is right by her side. He followed her around the room. 
When I picked up Sunny, they handed me this progress photo for the day! Absolutely adorable no? Sunny made friends with the leaders of the pack but was shy and in my opinion anxious all day. He parked himself by the door of the room for a good portion of the day. They tell me this is normal. They gave me the analogy of a new kid at school who enters school mid-year. Many of these dogs know each other already. However, humans and dogs are quite different and while we get hung up on these deep fears and worries, dogs are not necessarily that way. It is my hope with a few more sessions, Sunny moves away from the door and gets acclimated. Sunny was placed in the most sedate and calm room today. They have three other rooms that vary in energy levels. 

1 comment:

Margy Jost said...

Vicki,
I feel so relieved that you found a place for Sunny that is a good fit. I say relieved because, I too, am a worrier! I chuckled at your story about the man and the money. I know, at this point, no amount of money, etc. can turn off worry. All the more reason, I am relieved you found this place for Sunny!!!

I love your blog for many reasons! I always feel it guides people to understanding and being more sensitive to parents whose child has died.
It is never hurting feelings but a chance to understand this loss is like no other. Mattie's birthday is important! If he were here, you would be planning a celebration and your friends would all be wishing him, a Happy Birthday. This goes for all occasions, that you help friends celebrate with their children but don't get to celebrate with Mattie. Your blog presents many teachable moments. Moments, words, that people should take to heart and remember to mention Mattie. To live in the world of extreme loss is only fully felt by those parents, siblings, grandparents. Only parents understand the feeling of watching life continue and their child had a finite number of years and goes no further. The age 7 is the number for Mattie, you & Peter. Anyone who reads your blog should learn so much from the sensitive words, you use when you talk about Mattie & loss! Your words don't hurt, they teach.