2017 Finale Video

Friday, October 21, 2011

Images of Hope

When you imagine something, you are creating images in your own mind of what might be close to reality, for example, when you imagine a hospital you think of people in hospital rooms on beds getting ready to go into surgery or coming in from the emergency room. What you don't imagine when you let your imagination run wild is the reality that you have never seen until you get there. You may have been to a hospital to welcome a newborn into the world and to congratulate the parents and help them in the recovery process but usually that is where it ends when you think of kids in the hospital. No one imagines what I have seen while I have been in the hospital with my son. You won't let it go that far. It is to painful to bear the thought of kids hooked up to feeding tubes, accessed to ports with bags of medication hanging off of their drip trees as they walk around the halls. No one imagines a playroom in a hospital because kids aren't supposed to be there for that long. No one imagines school taking place for kids who cannot leave because they never know when they will get sick to their stomach from the powerful chemotherapy. And no one imagines a button that will administer morphine to a child constantly in pain. This is the world we live in, an unimaginable world of pain and misery kept behind locked doors in the oncology units for kids.


No child should have to Imagine the world we live in because they have spent most of their lives in the hospital, but you who have lived such a comfortable life should open your eyes and your heart and quit imagining a world without this kind of suffering because it is real. Make an adult decision today to quit letting your imagination get the best of you, and realize you can help kids across the nation and in your own city. Here are a few things to stop thinking about and start doing. Donate blood, it's easy quick and can save lives. Become a volunteer at a hospital, it's time well spent that you won't regret. Spread the word about childhood cancer, there are limitless and creative ideas to do this with. Consider becoming a bone marrow donor, I know I am. Stop complaining and jumping on the bandwagon, I know there are other causes out there but complaining just allows you to feel better, when the alternative of pressing forward with your cause is far more productive. Donate money, you do this every day for many other things and people who don't even care about you, but these children care and if it was your child you know you would be asking.

Now imagine a Cure, imagine no more hospital stays, imagine kids becoming people who will use their story of hope for good in their adult lives because somebody gave unconditionally to save their lives. Now that you have created this image in your mind, make a choice, take action and even lead the way for others. One day soon the images that we dream about will come true, our kids will come home and we can all enjoy holidays and birthdays together again.
 

Thursday, October 20, 2011

More than Conquerors

It's early in the morning and everyone is still sleeping on the 10th floor of the oncology unit at Doernbechers children's hospital. Usually it is pretty quite around here. Most of the kids stay in their rooms for various reasons, but I have met a few from ages 1-18. For the most part this place can be pretty peaceful except when trying to take Lincoln's temperature are 2am. I did hear something I don't want to hear in the room next door, a nurse calling for morphine because the young child was in pain. I would rather hear someone throwing up than needing such a powerful pain reliever for someone so young. Yesterday when news channel 8 was here filming kids receiving costumes I saw some of the happiest faces. When someone shares a gift with the kids who are constantly in their rooms, their faces light up as if they knew they were going home, but even though they aren't they find a moment of joy and new hope and strength to fight cancer. I was talking to a girls dad who was from Salem and she did not want anyone to know about her cancer. I hope to talk to her more about setting up a page or Caring Bridge so she can see how hundreds of people would help her fight this disease. I read about a couple of kids in other hospitals this morning fighting their cancer and sending out the message to pray for miracles. To think that all the kids out there who we never hear about is too much to bear and to think that even today one in this hospital could lose their fight is just as bad. For now though Lincoln and Jenny and I feel the thoughts and prayers of all of you who keep up with us and we thank you. When I say God is on our side, I mean he sends his army of people to support us and when I say God is for us and not against us, its impossible to think that anyone would stand against children with cancer.


What, then, shall we say in response to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? No, in all these things we are More than Conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Romans 8:31, 37-39 NIV)

Tuesday, October 18, 2011

Unfinished Business

Here we are at Doernbecher's Children's Hospital again in Portland Oregon. Since July 1st we have been here at least once a week on average. Today Lincoln had blood drawn and counted and he was good to go on his next course of chemotherapy. It's still a little bit strange saying Chemotherapy,

Sunday, October 16, 2011

Children of Change

It's 5:48 am on a Sunday and I have been awake since about 4, but I don't like to waste anytime that I am given, even when it is early, to reach beyond my personal universe and find a way to make a difference. You see, every day there is something or someone demanding our attention.

Friday, October 14, 2011

Time for a Break

Vacation, vacation, vacation is the only thing I have been thinking about for the last month. I have worked nearly 2000 hours this year already where normal full time jobs (40hrs a week 50 weeks a year) end. Now as I think about how fast this year has gone by I need some time to process it.

Tuesday, October 11, 2011

Happy Birthday Lincoln

Today is my son Lincoln's 3rd birthday and as I sit here tonight with him watching his new Batman movie I think about how much of a blessing he has been in 3 short years. For two and a half years we watched our baby boy grow up into this Terrific toddler. He was doing so well as every parent would expect until that fateful day July 1st, 2011 when he was diagnosed with leukemia (ALL) In the last three months our world has stopped and we have counted each moment a blessing because we did know if it could be our last. Today as he is in remission his little body still battles the drugs that both help and hurt it. He has had an incredible amount of support from friends family and the Children's Cancer Community. He has people thinking about and praying for him all over the US, Afganistan, England, South Africa, Australia and many other places. He prays each night for Mommy, Daddy, Emma, Lincoln, Jesus, cousins friends and all the Sick Kids. His favorite color is Green and Yellow is the first color he learned to recognize, so he obviously likes Green Bay like his daddy. Buzz and Woody are his favorite toys along with Cars and "guys" which are any comic book hero, especially Batman. He doesn't get to go many places anymore but he loves to play at home and visit Grammy's across the street all the time. He got to Make a Wish and gets to go to Disney Land next year, maybe for his birthday. He loves everyone he meets and looks forward to seeing them again and again.
One day I hope we can celebrate his birthday with all the people that have supported him so he can meet all of you. We want to start a foundation in his name soon so we can spread awareness and fund the critical research that is so close to finding a cure for the number 1 killer of children. Everynight Lincoln asks "When the Sun comes up can we do that?" My hope is that he will be cured completely in a very short time and that other kids will wake up one day with the sun and with a cure.