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

October 28, 2016

Friday, October 28, 2016

Friday, October 28, 2016

Tonight's photographic creation was sent to me by my Facebook friend, Tim Beck. As I told Tim, he has a way of always sending a creative surprise when it is deeply needed. All of the photos along the border of this creation were from October of 2008, Mattie's last Halloween. These photos show us that despite the physical and emotional challenges of dealing with cancer and living in the hospital, Mattie still smiled. He still found a way to have fun, laugh, and bring joy to the lives of others. He also found a way to make new friends and to touch the hearts and minds of those around him! In a way this composition illustrates the BEAUTY of Mattie. 

Quote of the day: Sometimes you will do good and not get an acknowledgement for it. Don't let that dishearten you, the world is a better place with your good deeds. Gugu Mona


Last week, I learned that the Girl Scout troop at Mattie's school is running a "flocking" fundraiser. I have to admit I had NO IDEA what that was, until I read about it. Basically, in the dead of the night, the girl scouts place plastic flamingos in the yards of friends that you wish to have flocked. For $25, you can surprise a friend and a whole neighborhood. Each of the flamingo flocks have a note attached to them explaining that I paid to have them “flocked” in support of the girl scout fundraiser. Also, the note lets my friends know that the flock is ONLY temporary and that in two days, it will be picked up by the girl scouts and transported to another location!

I frankly think this is a very creative way to raise money. This particular girl scout troop has supported Mattie Miracle for years. The troop purchases all the items for our Lego raffle basket every year (their basket from 2015 is photographed here). It is a very generous donation in Mattie's memory that they make to us every spring. So in my perspective this is the least I could do to show the troop our appreciation. 


I have arranged for 10 people we know to get flocked. This is location specific, since the flock jumps from lawn to lawn ONLY in Alexandria. Otherwise, I probably would have flamingoes all over the DC area. My goal is to let several of our Mattie Miracle workers know how much they are appreciated. I can't think of a more public way of doing this than having a flock of flamingoes on their front lawn.
This is what my friend Mary's home looked like this morning!

Two friends were "flocked" today.... Mary (above) and my friend Jane. Jane helps in tremendous ways with our annual candy drive and is my team coordinator for our annual walk. 

I do think it is noteworthy to mention that I met both Mary and Jane at Mattie's preschool. They were both preschool moms and they have been supporting my family since 2008, when Mattie was diagnosed. 

1 comment:

Margy Jost said...

Vicki,

The Girl Scout troop's fundraiser is a perfect way to tell a friend of their importance in your life. I had not heard the term, " to be fflocked " but it is a clever way to fundraise and spread friendship!
Timothy Beck is so talented. I have loved every picture, that has been posted. I have no favorite one as they are all spectacular! He does great work with a beautiful subject!!!

As always, your quote leaves me thinking!!!!