Thursday, May 25, 2017

Thursday, May 25, 2017

Tonight's picture was taken in August of 2009. This was what our living room looked like. Mattie wanted Peter to put his tent up and he wanted to sleep inside of it. So Mattie was on one aeromattress and I was on the other. Once Mattie began treatment, he could no longer sleep alone. He needed constant supervision and assistance. Even at home Mattie was attached to an IV (which was literally inside the tent with us). Therefore Mattie had to go to the bathroom throughout the night, but because of his limb salvaging surgeries he was unable to move on his own without help. 


Quote of the day: Whenever I feel blue, I start breathing again. ~ L. Frank Baum


For the next week, I will be posting photos from the Mattie Miracle Walk. I am very grateful that we had a photographer capturing the event, because I was literally jumping from one thing to another and do not truly get to see, absorb or appreciate the event. Before the Walk begins, we invite teams to the track to get a group photograph. This year we had 18 teams. Not all the teams chose to pose for photos. But I am sharing all the groups that did below. We are thankful for our 18 teams, who in total raised over $30,000 for the Foundation.

This is Team RCC and Friends. Comprised of families Mattie went to preschool with. This team won the Top Team Fundraising Award this year. In fact, they have won this award three years in a row. This year they raised $8,307!

This is the Blessed Sacrament Bullfrogs Team. This team won two awards (and they have won these awards three years in a row):

1) Team with the largest number of registered participants by May 15
2) Walk Challenge Winners - as a team they collectively walked 60 miles and placed all their Green colored cups in our Wall. Each person earns a cup per lap they walked. 

This is Team SAINTS. Comprised of high school students at Mattie's school. This team won the Spirit Award. Several members of this team held bake sales on campus to raise money for the Foundation, as well as register students to attend the Walk. 

This is Team Kimber. This is the first time the Foundation had a team dedicated to a person who died from cancer (other than my team in memory of Mattie). I never met Kimber, but thanks to my friend Margy, I have gotten to know what a special person, pediatric oncology nurse, mom, daughter, wife, and friend she was. I am so happy and honored that Kimber's mom, dad, husband, children, and dear friends could attend the Walk and remember Kimber in such a meaningful way. 

This is the Book Club Team, whose captain (second from the right), Peggy Elkind, won the Top Adult Fundraiser Award. Peggy raised $5,534, and she is our top fundraiser three years in a row. 

This is Ryan's Rowdies. Ryan is 14 years old and lives in New Jersey. For his Bar Mitzvah project, he held an ice hockey fundraiser and generated $3,035 for the Foundation. Ryan, his grandmother, mom, dad, and sister all attended the Walk to personally present us with this large donation. Ryan received our Top Teen Fundraiser Award. 

This was the Aerials/Tigers Team in Support of Olivia Egge. This team was comprised of gymnasts who gathered together to support their fellow teammate who is battling osteosarcoma. This is the first year a Team was formed to support a child undergoing active treatment. 

This is Morgan's Wolf Pack Team. When I knew Morgan she was 7 months old. She was undergoing chemotherapy at the same time as Mattie. Peter and I got to know Morgan's mom and dad quite well as we both lived on the same hospital floor. It was an honor to have Morgan and her family with us, and was one of the highlights of my day. Since Morgan now looks like the picture of health! Morgan's team was the first childhood cancer survivor team we have ever had at the Walk.

This is Team TECH and Friends, comprised of a Virginia Tech student, her mom, and their friends. The captain of this team is Lexi, a 20 year old who I have gotten to know quite well this year, as she has been debilitated and ill all year. However, she had surgery last week and is now hopefully on the road to recovery. When you look at her (second row all the way on the right), she looks healthy, happy, and thriving.