2020 Vision: A Blog by Annie Bartosz

Are you Listening to me? How often in the last 18 years has every high school graduate heard those words? Parents, teachers, siblings, friends . . . the list goes on. But, all too often, we are too distracted to really listen. Hearing is the physical ability to detect noise; whereas, listening involves mental processing, taking in information and making …

The Luxury of Legacy

“If you’re going to live, leave a legacy. Make a mark on the world that can’t be erased.” Maya Angelou By simple definition, a legacy is a gift of money or property, a bequest, or something handed down upon death. Such definition seems a bit antiquated, however, as if a legacy can only be ‘things’ or ‘gifts’ of the past; …

What Is . . .

. . . hope? Social distancing can not and will not stop the spread of awareness, knowledge, and action. Walking around the neighborhood with my kids last night, I was delighted to see the letters H-O-P-E colorfully painted and hanging in a front window. We stopped to admire the thoughtful handiwork with a smile and, in the moment, truly felt …

Gratitude for the Great Gold Team

“Gratitude turns what we have into enough.” Aesop Gold In September was built on hopes that began within the hearts and home of my family; but the truth is that the definition of family has always extended far beyond a single kitchen table to include the family of supporters, donors, volunteers, team members, advocates, and leaders who have helped to …

The Greatness of Community

“The greatness of a community is most accurately measured by the compassionate actions of its members.” ~ Coretta Scott King What words can possibly be offered during these current days of fear, uncertainty, disbelief, and confusion? The simple answer: none. As someone who loves words and has used them to lift my spirit and heal my heart during the worst …

Trial And Tribulations…It’s More Than Just Clinical

The term ‘clinical trial’ means many things to many people. For some, the thought of a clinical trial conjures up images of mad scientists and poorly-lit, back-room science experiments; for others, it evokes the impression of brightly lit laboratories with rows of test tubes, microscopes, and petri dishes; but for those who become all-too familiar in the most unwilling of …

New Year, New Home . . . Same Heart

“Home is not a place . . . it’s a feeling.” Though my family moved into a new home six months ago, just last week I sent out announcements to folks who may not otherwise have our new address; more specifically, those cards were sent to the thoughtful friends from whom we received Christmas and holiday greetings forwarded from our …

Wading Through the Rubble

Whether natural or human-created, disasters create rubble. In the aftermath of such tragedies, news feeds fill with images of catastrophic destruction. Once tall, majestic structures reduced to rubble; streets and neighborhoods filled with endless piles of debris; lives left in ruins and a cry for help issued locally, nationally, and globally. In the days that follow a disaster, amid myriad …

A Rush to GOLD

When my daughter Annie envisioned the idea for Gold In September, she saw a world that turned pink in October and stopped shaving in November in the spirit of raising awareness. She had a vision that one day, the same would be true with the color gold for kids. It was a simple goal: awareness. As we settle into Childhood …

I Spy . . . Hope

Last week I was humbled to be one of the keynote speakers at Pediatrics 2040 (Peds2040). The event was the annual meeting of the international Society for Pediatric Innovation or iSPI. Below is the transcript from my presentation. It provides the culmination of my journey as well as Gold In September’s vision as we continue to innovate, collaborate, and grow GOLDEN awareness and funding …