Tuesday, May 30, 2017

Tuesday, May 30, 2017 -- Mattie died 402 weeks ago today.

Tonight's picture was taken in June of 2008. Mattie was at his school's end of year party that was held at a local park. Pictured with Mattie were his two closest friends at school, Charlotte and Campbell. Mattie called Charlotte "his girlfriend," and if you asked Charlotte about the future, she would say that she was going to be roommates at college with Mattie and Campbell. They were a great threesome. Charlotte and Campbell are involved with Mattie Miracle and each year they either help us raise money or volunteer at the Walk. The friendship continues, though Mattie is no longer alive. Any one who thinks that children do not experience loss and remember it, are kidding themselves. I can see the ramifications of Mattie's death in the lives of his closest friends. 


Quote of the day: To make a rainbow, there has to be a little rain. ~ Dolly Parton

Over the weekend, I paused from posting Walk photos. But here is a great photo our photographer captured while up on a ladder. Brave soul, but everyone understands not to walk into the ladder!

Within this photo, you can see that our walkers, passed by our Faces of Hope posters. These are children/teens who are deemed cancer survivors. The point of having photos of survivors and our Forever Heroes (which were new this year), is to visually show that the psychosocial issues DO NOT end when the treatment does. In fact, the treatment produces many long lasting psychosocial consequences for both the child and the family. It is the biggest myth that once treatment ends.... you are CURED! It doesn't work that way. There is always the physical threat that the cancer will come back, and even if it doesn't the psychosocial ramifications of that fear, along with the host of other physical issues that arise because of the toxicity the child was exposed directly impacts quality of life and one's mental health. That is just for the survivors. For the bereaved parents, the psychosocial consequences are also numerous and these psychosocial issues can impact one's physical health. Issues which don't disappear after the first year of grief and loss. Instead, these are forever present. 

Our Mattie Miracle Walkers are amazing. On May 21, around 400 people collectively walked 1,325 laps around the track, which is equivalent to 331 miles. 

How do we know? Each colorful cup placed in our challenge fence marks a lap completed. By the end of our event the fence was FILLED.
This year's challenge was to raise funds to start an evidence based psychosocial grant program (in addition to our other psychosocial services). 

We had amazing volunteers at the Walk distributing cups and also counting cups for our Tally board. We have some teams who take their laps very seriously!!! The little kids in the photo belong to our DJ. The kids love cup collecting every year. So while there dad is working, so are they!!!

This was what the fence/wall was looking like as it was getting filled with cups!

Sunny and I went for a Walk by the Potomac River. The Geese are out with their goslings. A sight that reminds me of Mattie. He loved looking at baby birds and always felt they reminded him of us.

I think I have just about HAD IT with the rain and grayness. I no longer expect to see the sun when I wake up! Isn't that awful? Washington Harbor is trying to manage all the rain fall, and potential flooding that can ensue. So the FLOOD GATES were up today. To me this was a very depressing sight, as the gates are blocking the beautiful fountain and restaurants behind them.