A Childhood Cancer Survivor Blogging about the World of Childhood Cancer

Posts tagged ‘Hope Tour’

Children’s Hospitals Hope Tour- My Make-A-Wish

Grace: A Child’s Intimate Journey Through Cancer and Recovery

 

 

 

 

Last Tuesday, Panera Bread in Santa Maria generously hosted my Make-A-Wish presentation party. When I walked in, there were beautiful decorations, a lot of delicious food, and loving people who were there to help me celebrate my wish. Thank you to everyone at Panera, to Cal Poly Sorority Chi Omega (they adopted my wish and raised money,) and to all of the staff at Make-A-Wish for your love and support.

                               

Staff at Panera Bread in Santa Maria, California

Thank you for hosting my Make-A-Wish Presentation Party!

Make A Wish Party Panera Staff

 Chi Omega from Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo, thank you for all of your fundraising work!

I want to send out a huge thank you to Linda from Tri-Counties Make-A-Wish for believing in my wish, and for your hours of work in support of my heartfelt wish to help children with cancer. Linda has believed in my mission, and has been working on my wish for a very long time. More to come on Lovely Linda…

Thank you to Chi Omega Sorority at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo!

Mom and I picked up our rental car on Saturday and began the loading process—boxes of books for the children, cases of water for the road, and just a few belongings for our month-long journey. Last year, we named our rental car Hugo the HopeMobile, so this year, of course, we needed to name our travel vehicle. A car name is not something you can pick out before you “meet” the car. So, after we had driven about thirty miles, up the Atascadero Grade, “his” name came to us. It fits perfectly. Our vehicle has been lovingly named, Herbert the HopeMobile. When we are feeling especially affectionate, we call him Herbie the HopeMobile. Herbert is adorned with childhood cancer awareness signs—he is one decorated box of hope!

 Yesterday was our first day of the Hope Tour. We left home at 9 a.m. on the dot, and as we turned the corner off of our street and onto my Gramma and Poppy’s street, there was something we could see up ahead of us. As we made out what it was, we began to laugh… Poppy was standing by the side of the road holding a sign, “Go Car of Hope!” What a great surprise, and what a beautiful and loving send-off my grandparents gave us!

Poppy and Gramma give us a surprise send-off!

Poppy and Gramma with loving send-off wishes for the Hope Tour!

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You’re Not Supposed to Know That Yet

Grace: A Child's Intimate Journey Through Cancer and Recovery

After visiting Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta, Hugo HopeMobile headed northward through Georgia and South Carolina until we arrived at our destination for that evening, Chapel Hill, North Carolina.  Mom and I were both struck by the large amount of road construction through South Carolina and especially North Carolina. People have told me how beautiful North Carolina is. One thing we were delighted to discover is how much they care about making their highways beautiful; there were colorful flowers growing everywhere along the interstate.

North Carolina flowers in bloom!

Duke University and Duke Children’s Hospital were first on our schedule for early the following day. We loved the area, the enormous trees shading the streets and buildings, and the homes with wrap-around porches that spoke, “Come sit in my rocking chair and eat this delicious apple pie Grandma just took out of the oven!”

Our stop at Duke Children’s was quick. They are one of the hospitals with strict rules about having no visitors under 18, so we stopped long enough to give them a book for their resource library before we fired up Hugo once again. We traveled through Virginia and Washington D.C., where we could see the Jefferson Memorial, the Washington Memorial, lots of domes, and a military helicopter that nearly skimmed Hugo’s roof as we gawked at the sights.

I believe this is the first Gold Medal Award Driving Day of the Hope Tour for Mom. We got off the interstate in Baltimore after our Washington D. C. adventures to take a look at Johns Hopkins. Without going into any gory details, I would not recommend driving through Baltimore. Our journey ended this day as we pulled into our hotel in Philadelphia quite late at night. I do remember the two of us plopping down on our beds like floppy fish!

Hope Tour Story to be continued…

Now, to the present day…

I turned to Mom this morning and stated, “Life is hard.”

She looked at me lovingly and replied, “You’re not supposed to know that yet.”

It’s true, my life is, and always will be, different. Knowing what I am “not supposed to know yet” makes me that way. Since I cannot change my “differentness,” I feel a great responsibility to use it wisely. My intent and my great desire are to transform it into hope.

I will admit that it is hard to do, especially when I see great suffering and great loss.

Today, I heard news of the loss of one of the most inspiring cancer warriors I have been blessed to learn about… Kendall. My love goes to Kendall’s family and to Benji, the greatest buddy Kendall could have ever spent time with. I know that everyone on the staff at Children’s Hospital of New Orleans must be very, very sad—they loved Kendall so.

http://obits.nola.com/obituaries/nola/obituary.aspx?n=kendall-oliver-springman&pid=152841778#.Tjguqyt0Aq6.facebook

If you would like to take action to help, this is one way you may save a child’s life. I know of a little girl named Lexi who desperately needs a transplant. One swab of your cheek will tell you if you have the opportunity of a lifetime to save a child’s life.

joinmarrow.org

http://www.marrow.org/JOIN/Join_Now/join_now.html and then input the referral code: FriendsofLexi

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Greetings From Arizona

Grace: A Child's Intimate Journey Through Cancer and Recovery

This morning, just as the roosters began crowing, Mom and I hopped into our Jeep Patriot rental car (who we have already fondly named “Hugo”) and began driving eastward. The windows are decorated with my non-award-winning artwork– childhood cancer awareness and HOPE signs. The back is packed to the brim for our three week trip, and I am so excited about the adventures and the possibilities that lie ahead. 

Each day brings new responses from the children’s hospitals we have contacted; although they have never heard of someone doing this, they have been wonderfully receptive and kind. Tomorrow morning, before we leave Arizona, we will see the brand new children’s hospital here in Phoenix. I won’t be able to visit with any of the children here because they are moving to the new hospital. I want to thank Teri from Phoenix Children’s Hospital for trying her very best to make it happen! Their staff is delighted about the move, and I have discovered that even the hotel desk clerk speaks of the new hospital with pride. 

Adventure is fun. Adventure with a huge purpose is thrilling. 

I know there are many, many children across the U.S. who would love to be healthy enough for adventure. I am grateful– so grateful– to be healthy enough to travel to see the children. I pray with all of my heart that my visits will somehow help to give them hope and strength. I pray this Tour will bring more people to help the children, more money for research, and that it will bring what we truly need right now…

A Cure!

Nurse Cyndi Kissing my Dome

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