“A lot can be told from what happens in between the main moments.” – Annie Leibovitz June is upon us…and with it comes a flurry of activity. Children move on from one grade to the next, graduation ceremonies usher in the next phase for young adults, marriages mark new chapters for couples in love, and this month brings with it …
The Things and Memories We Pack
In June of 2005 my husband John and our two children, Jack and Annie, moved into our brand-new home in Hartland, Wisconsin. It was the home in which we had planned to raise and expand our family creating decades of happy memories. I had visions of pulling lovingly cared for things out of the basement to be shared with grandchildren …
How do You Run a Marathon? …One Mile at a Time.
How can I support G9? It is a question I hear regularly. And as diverse as the individuals asking the question are the answers that can be provided. The obvious response to the question is donate. However, as individuals with talents and skills that are distinctively our own, there is something empowering when we each use our unique abilities to …
Fighting Cancer – You are More Than a COG in a Wheel
Definition: ‘cog’ in the wheel – one who hold a minor but necessary post in a large organization; a small member of a larger organization or system The Children’s Oncology Group (COG) held their annual Spring meeting last week in Denver. And in spite of a blizzard bomb cyclone threatened to disrupt the efforts of many coming together to fight …
Grief is Not a Four Letter Word
I have been thinking a lot about the idea of mourning and grief as I read and hear countless apologies from people who feel the need to first express guilt or provide warning before being able to honestly express feelings about this most fragile emotion. Grief is not something our society is willing to readily embrace and openly discuss. For …
How Will You Answer the Call-to-Action?
The 4% statistic regarding the investment of government funding into childhood cancer research has long been a rallying cry for pediatric cancer advocates nationwide. The number has served as a catalyst for countless conversations and strategies. However, these 4 pennies on the dollar are also cause for outrage and frustration among those searching for cures with limited funds. The proposed …
Spread Golden Hope Like Confetti
Today is Valentine’s Day . . . a day we are called to reach out to those around us and spread love, kindness, and heartfelt thoughts. It is a day to remember the people who truly matter to us and take the time to share and show just how much we care. In keeping with this sentiment, G9 is spreading …
The Childhood Cancer Battle . . . It’s Personal
The phrase “it takes village” is sometimes attributed to the African Kijita proverb, “Omwana ni wa bhone.” The sentiment of the prose suggests that regardless of a child’s biological parents, the entire community is personally responsible for the upbringing. It places the obligation for the care of every child, on everyone. It is a culture of standing in the gap …
No Apologies Needed
Last Summer, I was touched by the beautiful story of a killer whale named Tahlequah. She was a mom mourning the loss of a child who left her too soon. As any grieving parent feels, Tahlequah did not want to let her child go. For 17 days and over 1,000 miles, this heartbroken mother carried her 400-pound calf, who died …
Gratitude for the Milestones on the Journey
As a New Year begins, I give thanks to the year that has ended and the opportunities that lie ahead. The close of a year brings both relief, reflection, and review for goals met, hurdles overcome, and successes celebrated. G9 set a goal of $50,000 for the year-end giving campaign, and I can happily report that the goal was not …