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

March 7, 2018

Wednesday, March 7, 2018

Wednesday, March 7, 2018

Tonight's picture was taken in March of 2009. By this point, Mattie had undergone 8 months of chemotherapy, along with two major surgeries. I remember taking several photos like this to highlight the enormous IV pole connected to Mattie. You may notice this RED colored IV going into Mattie. Though red may have been Mattie's favorite color, this was doxorubicin, one of 5 chemo drugs Mattie endured on a regular basis. Since Mattie was dressed in clothes in this picture, I can deduce this was an admission's day to the hospital. Why? Because it was only then that Mattie wore regular clothes. When Mattie was living in the hospital, he only wanted to wear pajamas. Nonetheless, despite getting chemo, Mattie looks very calm and peaceful. But photos can be deceiving. 


Quote of the day: Friendship is the only cement that will ever hold the world together. ~ Woodrow T. Wilson



Last night we held our annual volunteer appreciation dinner at the Morrison House in Alexandria, VA. The hotel was built in the style of a Federalist mansion that blends seamlessly into the surrounding historic Old Town neighborhood. It is a charming setting which gets fantastic reviews. However, the property recently changed hands to the Marriott. 


We loved the two assigned wait staff to our event, Romil and Griselda. They both worked very hard to set up the space as we requested and they couldn't do enough to make us happy. They truly made the night special, which was good because right after the event, I filed a formal complaint about the food. The food was served luke warm, and if food could look tired, WELL THEN IT LOOKED TIRED. They also had a dessert mishap in the kitchen, and two of us had to have a completely different dessert. I expect a lot better form a boutique hotel run by the Marriott. 


We had 17 guests, plus Peter and me at the dinner. Romil snapped a few photos of all of us. This core group of volunteers have been with us for every Foundation walk, and several helped plan the Mattie March in 2009, when Mattie was alive. So imagine service to us for ten years! An incredible group of people! 


Pictured Seated (left to right): Jane Pisano, Mary Doane, Carolyn McFadden, and Ali Goldwater

Pictured Standing (left to right): Christine Cooper, Tina Lytle, Jennifer Connors, Marisa Tordella, Peggy Elkind, Denise Tordella, Patricia Tilch, Bernie Tilch, Debbie Keefe, Dawnee Giammittorio, Ann Henshaw, Dave Tordella, Katie Magnuson, and Peter, and me.  

 At past dinners, we always had handouts! This time we got rid of paper at the table and showed a power point presentation. I think the visual made communicating so much easier. We also showed the group our Walk video from last year. I really think that energized us! Here is one of the slides we shared with our core team last night. It truly shows the great progression we have made in fundraising over the years. None of which could be done with this core team!

As of this date, we have 16 corporate sponsors who in total have donated $21,500 to our $85,000 walk goal! I would say that we are officially in Walk planning mode now. 


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