Grace: A Child's Intimate Journey Through Cancer and Recovery
“If you know someone who has lost a child or lost anybody who is important to them and you’re afraid to mention them because you think you might make them sad by reminding them that they died, they didn’t forget they died. You’re not reminding them that they died. What you’re reminding them of is that you remember that they lived and that’s a great, great gift.” ~ Elizabeth Edwards
Two outstanding nominations have come in for the Big Heart Red Carpet Awards for September’s Childhood Cancer Awareness Month. What makes me very happy and full of hope for our future is that both nominees are my age. If you think of teenagers as self-centered, obnoxious, difficult beings who don’t give a darn about anyone but themselves, I have three excellent examples of teenage selflessness that will turn your opinion around.
The first nomination is for Lauren Clements and the non-profit she created called Ordinary Grace. (Yes, I do like that name!!!) Lauren has a huge heart for children with cancer, dedicating her time and efforts to make their lives better.
The second nomination is for Lindsay Kunik and Holly Walsh and their non-profit, Butterfly Kisses Care Baskets.
Ordinary Grace and Butterfly Kisses Care Baskets have similar missions. Lindsay describes their mission:
“Butterfly Kisses is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that operates with several major goals. First, our goal is to lift the spirits of children fighting terminal illness and their families. As we saw firsthand with Ellie, cancer is a family disease. It does not only affect the child, who is diagnosed, but the parents, grandparents, siblings, friends and so on. We pride ourselves in making the entire family our focus. Secondly, our goal is to raise awareness for childhood cancer through involving as many people as possible. We encourage everyone to help, whether it is through a monetary donation, a donation of a toy, making cards for the children, or simply sharing with a friend about Butterfly Kisses. As two 16-year-olds who started this organization off of babysitting money alone, we believe that everyone can make a difference. It isn’t all about the monetary donations or the money we raise, but about the spirits that we touch, and the lives that we move. This is a big part of who we are and what we believe. It is our belief that there is no excuse for not getting involved. We appreciate $1 or $100, 1 card or 100 cards, 1 toy or 100 toys. Everyone has the ability to make a difference through Butterfly Kisses.”
With Lauren Clements at Braden's Run
This is your daily opportunity to be a childhood cancer advocate while only lifting your finger for a click!
The Andrew McDonough B+ Foundation
Have you voted today? Remember, for this contest we have to VOTE DAILY in order to win $50,000 for The Andrew McDonough B+ Foundation to help families of children with cancer nationwide. With 46 kids being diagnosed daily, many families need our help. Click “Vote for this Idea” at http://pep.si/oFeHcX.
SPREAD THE WORD!
Melinda Marchiano 
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