Tonight's picture was taken in January of 2008. it is hard to believe that six months after this photo was taken, Mattie was diagnosed with cancer. Doesn't he look like the picture of health? Like nothing was wrong with him. This was a typical weekend for us, regardless of the weather. We always took Mattie outside to interact with nature. Mind you this was not something I did much of prior to having Mattie. Mattie just responded positively to being outside, so it became something I grew accustomed doing, and still do today.
Quote of the day: One of the saddest things in life, is the things one remembers. ~ Agatha Christie
Seems a very apropos quote tonight. I am not sure why I am working so hard on putting together the presentation we are giving at Mattie's school next week. Perhaps it is because this isn't a typical age group we talk to? Or the simple fact that many of the kids we will be interacting with are Mattie's classmates. Not sure which one! In any case, today I sat still for two hours and worked on a script for a role play.
I figured a great way to engage the students in this 45 minute session will be to highlight some of the psychosocial issues associated with childhood cancer. Not just through slides, which can be boring, but by creating a scene for them, that hopefully will catch their attention. Overall, we will be doing role plays, showing some power point slides, will play a 4 minute Mattie Miracle video, will divide the classroom into two groups, so the groups can compete in a matching game as well as a group challenge. The matching game will be a fun way to learn about basic childhood cancer facts. With each answer a group gets correct, they will earn a bean bag.
Finally, the group challenge will ask each team to present us a way for them to get involved in Mattie Miracle's work..... through hosting awareness and fundraising activities. The team which presents the best and most doable idea, will be able to stand closer to our corn hole board during the competition. Every May, Mattie Miracle's walk features a corn hole tournament. We are bringing a corn hole board into the classroom so at the end of the session, the two teams will compete, using the bean bags they earned. The team who wins the competition will get what else? CANDY!
However, as it relates to tonight's quote, I would say it is hard to try to think about role plays. We have lived the feelings and thoughts expressed in them but for the most part..... to the kids we will be presenting to, they have no real appreciation for the devastation this disease causes to a child and a family. I will be curious to see what they can and are willing to absorb. Mind you have presented to two high school classes at Mattie's school previously and it wasn't a good experience. Actually I would say it was a frustrating experience. So I am going into this colloquium with level set expectations.
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