Mattie Miracle 15th Anniversary Video

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

February 25, 2024

Sunday, February 25, 2024

Sunday, February 25, 2024

Tonight's picture was taken in February of 2009. That day, Mattie's physical therapist came to the pediatric unit to have a session with Mattie. She brought a bunch of games with her because by that point she understood she needed all the available tricks up her sleeve to get Mattie engaged and eager to participate. Prior to Mattie's cancer diagnosis, he and I did about two years of occupational therapy together. As Mattie dealt with sensory integration issues as a toddler. So I was very used to being present, participating, and taking part in all exercises. In fact, Mattie typically wanted me to try things first before he would venture a try. As you can see, Mattie had me playing twister before he tried it himself! There was nothing I wouldn't have done to support him in his journey (both pre cancer and with cancer). Look at his smile while he was directing my movements!


Quote of the day: The bond with a dog is as lasting as the ties of this earth can ever be. ~ Konrad Lorenz


Each spring I captured a photo of Sunny by our complex's tulip garden (when we lived in the city)! To me it was the official sighting that spring had sprung. Sunny was always so compliant with my desire to snap a photo of him and I am glad I never missed an opportunity to share these moments with him. As I always told him... he was my baby!













I have always been a Diana Ross fan, and perhaps I am biased, but I LOVE the music from the 1980s. To me it was memorable, you could sing these songs, and for me music evokes feelings and emotions. For the most part, I may appear to be a person who is very together emotionally. It takes a lot for me to break down and cry, especially in front of other people. Well that is until music is integrated into my moment in time. Today, Diana Ross' song.... When you tell me that you love me, was swirling around in my mind. In fact, given how I am feeling, it is not unusual for songs to just pop into my head. Songs which ironically capture my feelings, emotions, and turmoil. Literally the words from this song, brought me to tears numerous times today. 



When I was in my twenties, I went to Las Vegas with my parents. Diana Ross was performing at our hotel. We were fortunate enough to get tickets. Back then I may not have understood the true beauty of Diana Ross, but despite my young age, it would be impossible NOT to recognize...... her talent, her love for music, that she is an stellar performer, that she LOVES her audience, and is a consummate show person (I have never seen someone sing non stop without breaks, to quickly move off stage and minutes later come back on with a new costume, hair do, and vocalization)! Diana Ross made a permanent impression upon me. 

So in all reality, it isn't that surprising that while I am so distraught, her words captured my mind, heart, and spirit today.  Her song begins with..... 

I wanna call the stars down from the sky
I wanna live a day that never dies
I wanna change the world only for you
All the impossible, I wanna do

I feel like I have faced the impossible way too many times in my life. Yet as long as there are stars in the sky and my Mattie Moon shining above, I try to hold out hope. 

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