Childhood Cancer

Yesterday Tim and I had the honor of attending Sammy's Superheroes Glow Gold event in Columbus.  This is the second year we have attended, and it is hands down one of our favorite events.  Glow Gold aims to raise awareness and funds for childhood cancer and research, but the main goal (in my mind anyway) is to honor the fighters, angels, and families.  We walked in, were greeted, and personally given a goodie bag and information for the event.  During the presentation honoring the families, we weren't divided into fighter families and angel families, but instead were all included in one group of families who have been touched by the monster that is childhood cancer.  We didn't walk around as pariahs, as a family that has lost.  Because, let's be honest, any family who has a child with cancer has lost something.

As we sat eating dinner before the gates opened to the public, I gazed around at the sea of blue shirts.  It amazed me, that in this tiny corner of the world, there are this many families affected by childhood cancer.  Dr. Coulter, the guest speaker and a local leading researcher, said that Nebraska has the third highest rate of childhood cancer in the nation, yet as population goes we are one of the smaller states.  And as I looked down the football field at all the families, I was reminded once again why this cause is so important to us.  I would love to live to see a day when no parent has to hear the words "your child has cancer."  Because even this tiny slice of families affected is too much!

Thank you to Sammy's Superheroes for honoring our family and so many others...for acknowledging the fighters, the angels, and the supporters.  Thank you for sharing our stories.  Thank you to those who take the time to read this, who support our cause, and help us honor our angel.  As Margaret Mead said, "Never believe that a few caring people can't change the world.  For, indeed, that's all who ever have."  As we go into September and childhood cancer awareness month, we will keep working for awareness, for funds for research, and for change...for Henry, his fellow angels, and all the kids still fighting.