Merry Christmas

Merry Christmas! I hope everyone had a blessed day. We have spent a nice couple of days with family. Vince's father (Pop-Pop), step mother (Miss Darlene) and sister (Aunt Val) arrived yesterday evening while I was at church. They were here to enjoy Christmas morning with us which was very nice. This afternoon, we had dinner at my sister Marion's home with her family and my Mom (Grandma).

Today, was a day full of distractions. However, Colleen was never far from my thoughts. Her empty stocking hung from our chimney and her ashes were perched on the highest shelf in the living room where we opened our presents. In the back of my mind, I continue to dwell on the fact that I am upset about the the number of children who are impacted by cancer and I want to do anything I can to help them. Not only by the work that I am doing to start the foundation but in any other way that I can.

According to Candlelighters.org, cancer remains the number one disease killer of America's children, more than Cystic Fibrosis, Muscular Dystrophy, Asthma and AIDS combined. Each school day, 46 children are diagnosed with cancer.

I mistakenly thought that leukemia was something that children were commonly cured of. And although modern medicine may have made improvements in the treatment of this type of cancer, I have sadly met too many grieving mothers that have lost their children to leukemia.

So, during this week as you start to think about the approaching New Year, I am throwing out a challenge. What can you do to help children with cancer during 2009? Obviously, I would like you to support www.striving4more.org when I am ready to begin accepting donations during the next couple of months. However, there is other things that can be done in the meantime and some can be done without opening your wallet or writing a check. So what will you do?

Vince and I plan on shaving out heads during the St. Baldrick's event at Napper Tandy's in Raleigh on March 7th. I started a Striving4More team in honor of Colleen. Check it out here. Sign up to shave your head, donate to our team or, if you are local, just come by the pub to support us.

I am going to register with the National Marrow Donor Registry. It is a painless process and it could save a life. Check it out here.

So as I end this day of extravagance and blessings, I am thinking about what I can do for kids with cancer. I pray you will do the same. Until next time. Good Night.