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

May 22, 2017

Sunday, May 21, 2017

Sunday, May 21, 2017

Tonight's picture was taken in May of 2009. It features several of my favorite people.... Linda (Mattie's child life specialist), Anna (Mattie's physical therapist), and Meg (Mattie's child life intern). This photo illustrates Mattie in a physical therapy session. Which was never boring with Mattie! Meg had a way to inspiring Mattie to move his body and compete against her. Meg would ham it up and as you can see Anna was pushing Meg out of the way so Mattie could win the race. Meg has a personality similar to Mattie's and he gravitated to her right away. We will always be grateful to Meg. 


Quote of the day: I believe the power to make money is a gift from God...to be developed and used to the best of our ability for the good of mankind. John Rockefeller


I am happy to report that the Walk generated $85,647!


This is a photo of Meg and I together today. I was very honored that Meg came to the walk with her husband and Noah, her son. 

A group of girls gathered together for the Walk. 
This is a photo of Team Kimber. Kimber was a PED/ONC nurse who died two years ago from kidney cancer. These are Kimber's four children who participated in the Walk today. It was an honor to have them. 
This is Morgan. Morgan is a childhood cancer survivor who was treated for cancer at the same time as Mattie. Morgan was diagnosed at 7 months. Now 8 years later, she is about the age that Mattie was when he died. Morgan was one of my highlights from today. 
This is a photo of our Forever Heroes posters. We received these photos of children who died from cancer through our Facebook campaign. My goal was for people to understand that the psychosocial issues don't end when the treatment does, and that these issues continue into survivorship and bereavement.  

I knew that seeing these photos would be sad today, but as I told attendees parents who lost a child to cancer want their child remembered. The worst thing besides losing a child, is to be forgotten. 

Our Lego train display.
A photo of Dr. Shad (the physician who assisted Mattie as he was dying) with Kimber's family. 
Georgetown Cupcakes featured at the Walk, with the Mattie Miracle logo.
I took a photo with Anna Leis and her family. Anna is the owner of DC Empanadas and isn't only a major donor but catered our walk today with her food truck. She donated 100% of the food proceeds to us. Absolutely amazing lady and I got LOTS of food compliments. 
Check out the gymnastic team who were at the Walk today. Got to love the hand stands no?

1 comment:

Margy Jost said...

Vicki, So many comments whirling in my head! All the pictures you posted were wonderful. I need to show Patti, your blog. I know she would be so pleased to see the picture of Kimber's kids holding the sign. That was kind of you to post. I know Mattie & Kimber were there watching the success of the day!

All the photos, you displayed told the story of Childhood Cancer. It was truly beautiful how you chose to put the pictures and the captions on each one. Patti & I had been walking on the outside of the track until she saw the pictures.. Then we moved, stopping and looking at each photo and the words to describe the child, their interests. Yes, the pictures of the children who died from their Cancer is very sad. However, it is the real picture, all those children live and have left behind parents, other family that loved them dearly. People need to see the reality of Childhood Cancer. We stopped at each picture and took time reading about each child. I think you did a great job wanting both walls to happen. Thanks