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

June 24, 2017

Saturday, June 24, 2017

Saturday, June 24, 2017

Tonight's picture was taken in June of 2003. Mattie was about a year old and my parents and I took him to the Reston Zoo. The beauty of this Zoo is that it is small and a very hands on experience for children. To me it is the ideal Zoo. As you can see here, Mattie was intrigued by the sheep. The Zoo provides food and bottles for you to feed the animals and Mattie loved the feeding process. Because it was such a positive environment for Mattie, we visited the Reston Zoo often throughout his toddler and preschool years. 


Quote of the day: I think dogs are the most amazing creatures; they give unconditional love. For me they are the role model for being alive. ~ Gilda Radner


I can get in a bad mood and can live in this state for a few days. Yesterday's phone call that I was on set me off, and it continues to carry over to today. What instantaneously puts me in a bad mood is when I feel that the work of Mattie Miracle isn't appreciated and acknowledged. Unlike other things I have done, my work with Mattie Miracle is very personal and therefore when this work is not understood, it makes me upset. 

Of course regardless of my mood, I have Sunny on hand. He is very consistent as are his needs and behaviors. However, this morning my routine was off. He knows my every move and has STUDIED it well. But today I confused him because I threw on clothes to sit outside for breakfast. Typically Sunny knows the routine of breakfast, showering, and then walking with me. Since I did not follow my usual routine, check out the look Sunny was giving me from the stair case. He wasn't sure whether to go back upstairs because I hadn't showered yet or to come down the steps because I was dressed and potentially we would be going out for a walk. 

While confused, Sunny had his front paws on one step and his hind paws and rear on the step above. Seeing a 60 pound dog sitting like this on two steps is a riot. Sunny provides diversion and comedic relief to our lives. Which helps during period funks. 

1 comment:

Margy Jost said...

Vicki, am absolutely beautiful quote! I agree with Gilda Radner! Dogs should be our role models! They are in tune to every mood. I see this and I am yet a dog owner.! Hopeful - Yes! Certain- no. But I read it about Sunny and I see it in Rounder & Biscuit. They bring special feelings to being in Wisconsin!

I love seeing Mattie's little outstretched hand petting the animal at the RESTON ZOO! The pictures, you post are so touching!

I truly am sorry one of your Board members upset you. There are those people on Pediatric Cancer Boards that truly don't understand the real WHY of a Foundation! Yes, they understand who receives the support whatever it is the Foundation provides, they understand its CHILDHOOD CANCER but they miss what drives the very people who do all or the majority of work to keep the Foundation alive. The motivation behind each Organization is personal. Mattie Miracle, as you said, is very personal. Mattie is your child. This Foundation is changing the way people look at the importance of all around psychosocial support as well as all the other things, Mattie Miracle does to support Children in Cancer treatment. Mattie Miracle is important to childhood cancer and all around care !