Monday, September 29, 2008


We are still doing fine! Grace's 9th Birthday is today and I am so glad we are not in the hospital celebrating like we did last year! Grier is planning for Halloween--- yes, he is going to be a shark! Or as he said.. A shark playing soccer! It is hard to believe it is almost Halloween again-- last year he was in PICU for Halloween so we are hoping for a much different celebration this year-

We have to be in NYC by Tuesday, October 7th for his 3 month scans-- I am not sure where our 90 days went but we have enjoyed each and every one of those days- "scanxiety"-- is my new word lately-- I am trying to not worry about the unknown and just live each day one day at a time!

We are still wrapping up from a very successful bake sale-- Thanks to all of you that came to support us-

The milestone walk is coming up soon-- NOV.15th! Please sign up to walk on our team-- I have not met my goal of 100 people yet! We also need folks to get involved in other ways-- I know so many things are going on with the world right now but there are also tons of kids fighting this awful fight right now too-- We need more teams-- think of a group you are in and do a team-- I know Union County schools are trying to get teams formed-- I also know a mayor is getting a team started---

I will update more when I know our schedule for going to NY-- I am waiting to see if we can get on a corporate angel flight--

Sunday, September 21, 2008



Two days... lots of cookies, brownies, cupcakes, cakes, muffins, rice krispy treats.... lots of stories of hope and courage... bottled water... tons of help from children... tons of help from friends, family and neighbors... And the end result is a $2000 donation to Cookies for Kids Cancer--- a donation to support pediatric cancer research for all kids fighting the battle and those that have not been diagnosed yet--- hoping that this money helps doctors find a cure someday-!

Day 1 was a success!





Day 1 of the BAKE SALE for COOKIES FOR KIDS CANCER was a success! We had a lot of traffic from people going to the festival as well as our friends that stopped by to get a yummy treat- We were very busy-- People loved the idea and some just donated because they were survivors or they wanted to support the children in this fight- I can not say enough about the amount of baked good that you all donated-- cookies... cupcakes.. brownies... banana bread...AND the HUGE amount of items donated by GREAT HARVEST BREAD CO. and POLKA DOT bake shop-- People recognized this items right away and commented about how nice they thought those businesses were to donate--- AND we could not agree more! As you can see from the pictures.... Everyone had fun helping... Grier helped by eating a cupcake made by 7 year old Hadley Sparks--- I put a picture up of the ones she decorated-- Kids loved them and they did not last long!

If you did not make it-- There is lots of items that will be for sale today-- LOTS of Great Harvest cookies and sweets-- and German Chocolate cupcakes from Polka Dots as well as the local baker assortment---!

See you around 3 on Jameston---

Friday, September 19, 2008


Quick update-- We are almost ready for the Cookies for Kids Cancer Bake Sale--

The hours are as follows--
Saturday 4-7 ( or until we run out!)
Sunday 3-6 ( or until we run out!)

Come by and stock up on some yummy treats made by some local bakers as well as Great Harvest Bread Co. and Polka Dot Bake Shop! All proceeds will support Pediatric Cancer Research--

Checks will be accepted and are payable to Cookies for Kids Cancer-- It is a 501 (c) 3 charity--

If you can not make it-- You can do your own bake sale-- check the website for information
www.cookiesforkidscancer.org

Thanks to everyone that dropped off water and goodies today--- !! Every little bit helps!

Wednesday, September 17, 2008

Bake Sale update and a little Beethoven!!



More free Beethoven ringtones



Bake Sale update---

Well-- I put the word out that we are having a bake sale for Cookies for Kids Cancer and I have had tons of offers to help bake--- not sure if it because everyone that knows me knows that I do not cook much or they just want to help!!! I am going to assume they just want to help!

As of now, we have some cookies being donated from Great Harvest Bread Co. ( I think they are the best cookies in Charlotte!!)... I also know we have some banana bread, brownies, lemon bars, and lots of cookies coming--

IF you want to help--- please just bring your items to my house on Friday or Saturday -- I will have a box on my front porch. Here are some ideas that would be great-- cupcakes.. rice krispy treats... a cake.. and bottled water-- I do not need to know what you are bringing so if you have time just drop it by my house- I have clear bags to put things in as well as a cute sticker with the logo on it-

IF you want to ask your favorite bakery to donate something then please do-- I know we are waiting on an answer from Polka Dots (cupcake shop) and The Bread Basket has already been asked --they said NO-- but you may know of another source -- Go for it! Remind them it is for a great cause-- HT might do it at each store level-

I think we will start around 4pm on Saturday--- I will decide later as soon as I figure out the other schedules in my house--

Grier is continuing to do very well-- He makes us laugh-- Today, he got in the car at carpool and said he went to music.. I asked what song he sang and he said "Beethoven"-- I asked him to sing it and he hummed Beethoven's 5th-- And now our whole house is humming it and we have listened to it over and over in my car- He loves to tell me what part is going to get louder-- ( That is why the music is on here)

He did bring me back to reality this afternoon when he asked if we could take our dog to New York with us? I said no-- and he said he was ready to go again-- I asked him why he wanted to go so badly and he told me he liked to push the "white medicine"--- NICE-- he is looking forward to anesthesia! October will be here before we know it -

I will update before Friday to let you know the details of the bake sale-- Remember if you want to help-- don't ask me -just do it!! I hope this has helped with knowing what the needs are-


Monday, September 15, 2008

Be a good Cookie!


Grier had the best week of school last week-- He was very happy everytime he got into the car and told us lots of stories about his new friends at school-- We are so excited to see him get to be a kid again!

So many good things have been happening lately... the GGG team is growing everyday-- it is almost to 100!!! Everyone seems very excited about doing a personal page and getting pledges for CureSearch. I think we need about 30 more to go to reach 100--

I have also been working on something else!! I know some of you are thinking WHY!!! Well--- I can not sit here and do nothing, so I said "YES" to a birthday wish that Gretchen Holt ( Liam's mom) had about a month ago. She wished for 100 people to have a bake sale. She has just started a new organization to support pediatric cancer research. It is called cookies for kids cancers...www.
cookiesforkidscancers.org Anyway, I asked 2 people to also have a bake sale and guess what??? They said "yes" too! My college roommate, Kristie has taken this simple idea and run with it-- her bake sale is going to in the middle of the NC Seafood Festival in Morehead City on Oct. 4th & 5th--AND the youth at her church have decided this is going to be a mission project for them and they will kick it off on their Youth Sunday! Amazing---! That leads me to our bake sale--- Grace has been waiting to do a lemonade stand and we decided to wait until Festival in the Park ( which is this weekend!)-- Why??? Well... on a good weekend they expect 100,000 people and most will park somewhere close to our house. We will be having a bake sale/lemonade stand in our yard this weekend--- The proceeds will go to Cookies for kids Cancer... and a lesson will be learned by all that help! Yes... I am teaching my kids to think bigger than themselves and to be a good cookie!!! Wish us luck as we try to squeeze in soccer and baseball games in between setting up shop in our yard!

Finally, the last story is about a family that decided they were going to raise awareness and recognize that September is Childhood Cancer Awareness month-- Kerri woke the boys up for church yesterday and told them to get ready to go-- She told them to wear their Go Grier Go T-shirt-- and her youngest said.. "MOM, Are we going to wear a T-shirt to church?" And she said "YES -- we all are!" She also had everyone wear a gold ribbon... And they were noticed and asked what the ribbons were for....

Thanks to all for that are working behind the scenes to bring awareness!!!!








Sunday, September 14, 2008

This was taken from Forbes Magazine---

Commentary

Childhood Cancer: Where's the Money?
Helen Jonsen 09.12.08, 12:01 AM ET
Helen Jonsen

pic

First it began as little night pains in the leg, the kind most parents associate with growing pains. We told our little girl, "Don't worry, it will go away," and the next morning it seemed fine. She ran and played and enjoyed the days of summer, like her friends did.

But our nine-year-old's nights became more painful. A swelling in her knee got worse. A slip in the wet grass became an excruciating accident. There was little sign of anything more serious, but the pain grew in intensity and frequency. A couple of weeks went by, and a new school year was about to begin.

Finally, one tearful night, when Dad was massaging her leg to help it feel better, he felt a lump in addition to the swelling. He took her to the pediatrician, hoping against hope. The doctor later admitted his "blood ran cold" when he felt her leg.

Within hours, she was diagnosed with osteosarcoma, a bone cancer that often first appears near the knee or elbow joint, and can spread to the lungs and become fatal. A biopsy confirms the diagnosis. Osteosarcoma is found in only 400 children each year in America.

In this case, less than a month after the onset of symptoms, the tumor had grown to the size of a wine bottle, forcing an oncology surgeon to remove 80% of her femur and her knee joint and rebuild her leg internally with a space-age prosthetic.

She underwent debilitating chemotherapy for ten months, her entire fifth-grade school year, and continues physical therapy and rehabilitation so that her bionic leg, with half its healthy muscle intact, can learn to walk again. We now believe our daughter is one of the survivors.

No matter how good the treatment, not every child survives. One child in five whose parents hear the terrifying words "your child has cancer" will die. Sometimes the advancing cancer cannot be stopped with all the weapons in the oncologists' current arsenal. Sometimes it is the "cure" protocol that kills them. And every time, a parent wonders why, and cries.

Our daughter's battle with pediatric cancer is one of 12,500 in America each year, the most common kinds being leukemias and lymphomas. In July, Congress acknowledged that research into children's cancers is underfunded. Why would that be the case?

For one thing, children with life-threatening diseases exhaust their families emotionally and often financially; even after recovery, neither the children nor their parents find it easy to advocate for themselves. The children are too young, and for the whole family there is always that fear of recurrence. Parents want some respite before the horror might begin again. Unlike other health care lobbies, they do not have the energy to march in the streets and call for action.

According to Kate Shafer, Director of Advocacy for CureSearch National Childhood Cancer Foundation, most federal funding for childhood cancer research comes from the National Cancer Institute (NCI), with a small amount coming through appropriations. Schafer says, "It's a bit difficult to determine how much in any given year is spent on childhood cancer research. It is around $170 million per year."

Most of that goes toward laboratory research. The funding for pediatric cancer clinical trials has gone down every year since 2003, and is currently $26.4 million. By comparison, NCI funding for AIDS research was $254 million in 2006; funding for breast cancer topped $584 million the same year.

It often takes one person's passion, born of pain, to raise awareness and start a movement. The sad truth is that it has taken a Congresswoman's loss to move her colleagues, but federal funding for research into the treatment and cures for pediatric cancer is being penned into law.

In June, the House of Representatives passed H.R. 1553, which authorizes $30 million annually over five years to fund clinical trial research, create the first population-based national childhood cancer database and further improve public awareness and communication regarding available treatments and research. That's a tall order for $30 million. It costs more than that to make one relatively small Hollywood movie.

The bill, sponsored by Rep. Deborah Pryce, R-Ohio, is called the Caroline Pryce Walker Conquer Childhood Cancer Act in memory of the lawmaker's nine-year-old daughter, who lost her life to neuroblastoma in 1999. The Senate followed suit, and President Bush signed the funding act July 29.

But as Shafer, the childhood-cancer cure advocate, notes, "the money still has to be appropriated. The next step in the process is to get Congress to include some, or--less likely--all of this money authorized in the appropriations bills that have to pass every year."

Cancer is the No. 1 disease killer of children in the U.S. and the second overall killer of children, behind car accidents. We tend to talk about it in hushed tones instead of screaming for help. But scream we should.

Research groups need collective philanthropy to fund research sufficient to eventually lead to a breakthrough--one in the form of newer, less invasive treatments, cures and maybe even early-detection screening and prevention in our lifetime.

On Sept. 5, the three major television networks, ABC, NBC and CBS, simultaneously broadcast a one-hour telethon, "Stand Up 2 Cancer," which, combined with related efforts, raised $100 million. (The organizers at the Entertainment Industry Foundation have not said what portion of that will go directly to research into pediatric cancers.) During the telecast, they aired the famous radio broadcast that launched the March of Dimes to end polio, during which singer Eddie Cantor asked all Americans to send in a dime.

Today, polio has been eradicated in the U.S. and in more than 200 countries, according to the World Health Organization. That should be a lesson as to how far a little philanthropy can go. May it be an inspiration in the fight against childhood cancer. Wish big.

Helen Jonsen is a Forbes.com senior editor whose daughter recently underwent treatment for osteosarcoma at Morgan Stanley Children's Hospital of New York Presbyterian, Columbia University Medical College.

Sunday, September 7, 2008


Have you seen any gold ribbons lately??? I think it is almost hard to believe that there so little information about Childhood Cancer Awareness Month--- SEPTEMBER is Childhood Cancer Awareness month--! I keep hoping I will read the Charlotte Observer and see it on the front page-- or turn on the news and see a PSA about it-- but I have not! I will keep hoping!! I read about someone who was asked about the gold ribbon-- she knew what pink stood for but she did not know what yellow stood for-- I bet with more publicity no one would have to ask that question---

The Milestones Walk in November is going to be really big--- we need more teams to register- I would love to see teams from schools in our area form a team in support of children- Private, Public, Charter, or preschools--- it does not matter-- Just start a (team ETES, MPTS, Selywn, Eastover, Sharon, AG, Carmel, CCDS, Latin, PDS, Charlotte Christian, Trinity, St.Patrick's, St. Gabe's... I could keep going but we all know there are too many Charlotte area schools to name!!!) and raise funds for pediatric cancer research-- I am hoping to see some new TEAMS formed in the next week-- I bet there is not a school in the area that has not been affected directly or indirectly!

Since I am hoping for so much these days --- I thought I would share this poem that I read off Julia's site--

I HOPE...

I hope you never have to hear the words, 'Your child has cancer.'

I hope you never have to hear, 'The prognosis is not good.'

I hope you never have to prepare your child to undergo radiation or chemotherapy, have a port surgically inserted into their chest, be connected to IV poles.

I hope you never have your child look at you with fear in their eyes and say, 'Don't worry Mommy, everything will be okay.'

I hope you never have to hold your child as they vomit green bile.

I hope you never have to feed them ice chips for lunch.

I hope you never have to watch the 'cure' you pray for slowly take away their identity, as they

lose their hair,

become skeletal,

swell up from steroids,

develop severe acne,

become barely or unable to walk or move,

and look at you with hope in their eyes and say,

'It's going to be okay, Mommy.'

I hope that you never have to stay in the hospital for weeks, months, or years at a time, where there is no privacy, sleeping on a slab, with your face to the wall, where you cry in muffled silence.

I hope you never have to see a mother, alone, huddled, in a dark hospital corridor...crying quietly, after just being told, 'There is nothing more we can do.'

I hope you never have to watch a family wander aimlessly, minutes after their child's body has been removed.

I hope you never have to use every bit of energy you have left, with all of this going on around you to remain positive, and the feelings of guilt, sorrow, hope and fear, overwhelm you.

I hope you never have to see a child's head bolted to the table as they receive radiation.

I hope you never have to take your child home (grateful but so afraid) in a wheelchair because the chemo and radiation has damaged their muscles, 35 pounds lighter, pale, bald, and scarred.

And they look at you with faith in their eyes and say, 'It's going to be okay Mommy.'

I hope you never have to face the few friends that have stuck beside you and hear them say, 'Thank God that is over with,'...because you know it never will be.

Your life becomes a whirl of doctors, blood tests and MRI's and you try to get your life back to 'normal'.

While living in mind-numbing fear that any one of those tests could result in hearing the dreaded words...

'The cancer has returned' or 'The tumor is growing.'

And your friends become even fewer.

I hope you never have to experience any of these things...Because...only then...

Will you understand...

(author unknown)

Friday, September 5, 2008


Grier had a good day at Preschool!!! There was a lot of talking about school and planning and I can say it went as well as I expected-- I would love to say there were no tears but there were and that is okay-- He said he had fun-- more information is coming now that Hayes and Grace are home!!--- So many asked how I did?--- And I can say I was fine-- Unfortunately, I am an old pro at handing him over when he is screaming to people for medical reasons --so leaving him with three teachers that are there to nurture him was easy!!! Also, I had a nice message on my phone that said he was fine and having fun!! He asked me today when he was going to get to go to Hayes and Grace's school??? I told him had two more years of practicing at preschool before we could go to "BIG" school!!!

The Go Grier Go team for the CureSearch walk is halfway to goal of 100 team members!! Thanks to all that signed up for our team-- Grier and I walked into every store at Park Road Shopping Center on Wednesday and asked them to put up a poster for the walk--- ! And I can say some stores said OK!!! I was excited to get a YES out of some people!!!

Grier's appointment at the clinic went well-- he did have to have his port flushed and a full exam-- We do not have to go back until November--- We will be in NYC next month for scans so his check-up will be done there- That will be here before we know it--- time is flying by-- our 90 days are almost up!!

Monday, September 1, 2008

NUMBERS!


Lately, while Grier and I are driving somewhere in the car or walking around Harris Teeter or just doing anything he is constantly asking me about numbers-- His favorite is the speed limit sign--
Grier- "Mom, what is that number that has a 3 and a 5?"
mom- "thirty-five"
Grier- "Mom, what is that number that has a 2 and a 5?"
mom- "twenty-five"
You can see my point-- he is obsessed with numbers and this can go on for a long time-- house numbers.. prices... etc. And it really starts to get fun when he starts making up numbers!

Today is September 1-- September is Childhood Cancer Awareness Month. You will see yellow ribbons and they are for Childhood Cancer awareness month--

Here are some sobering numbers....
-Everyday 46 children are diagnosed with cancer in this country-- (That is about 2 classrooms of kids!)
1 out of 5 who is diagnosed with cancer dies
3 out of 5 children suffer long-term effects from chemotherapy and radiation treatments
More than 12,500 children are diagnosed a year and over 40,000 children are currently being treated for cancer-
I am not trying to scare anyone-- but I think we can not ignore the numbers-- It could be your son or daughter, grandchild, niece or nephew, your child's classmate, neighbor, teammate , & friend. What would you do?


I am setting a goal of 100 ( that is the average number of people that read the blog everyday!) for the Go, Grier, Go team ! Even if you can not walk on the 15th you can still be a part of our team of 100-- You just sign up to be a virtual walker. Currently, GGG has 15 team members-- We need 85 more! Easy enough huh?

Go to www.milestoneswalk.org
click Charlotte, NC
click join a team
type a % sign in the blank line-- This will search teams
when GGG shows up in the list -- click join on the right side
you will need a name and a password-- do not use mine because it will not work- This is for your page-
I know I have confused some but it is hard to describe without doing it at the same time!

More to come later about the Curesearch Milestones walk---

Grier has a big week ahead of him-- he will meet his new preschool teacher on Wednesday- He has an appointment with Dr. McMahon on Thursday and then on Friday school starts ! We are hoping for a smooth and easy transition for him as he enters preschool with only a few weeks missed due to trips to NY!--

GO STEEL FAB!

GO STEEL FAB!

Go Grier Go Magnets are Here!

Go Grier Go Magnets are Here!

Grier's address in NYC

Grier Christenbury
Ronald McDonald House of New York

405 East 73rd Street

New York, NY 10021

Before 3F8

Before 3F8

After 3F8

After 3F8
30 minutes later

Free Money for Go Grier Go!.. just by shopping online!!

iGive.com

Grier leaving NY-pres and going back to MSKCC

Grier leaving NY-pres and going back to MSKCC
www.cornellpediatrics.org-- Great hospital!

Grier going for a ride in the ambulance across the street

Grier going for a ride in the ambulance across the street
just transporting-- not an emergency!

Grier patiently waiting surgery to remove tumor

Grier patiently waiting surgery to remove tumor
Monday 10/29/07

Go Grier Go Picnic in the Park

Go Grier Go Picnic in the Park
Thanks to everyone that helped!!!

On the way to NYC!

On the way to NYC!

Grier at the "new" clinic at CMC

Grier at the "new" clinic at CMC
Playing with the doctors and nurses 10/19/07

Some of our team at the Hopebuilders 5k

Some of our team at the Hopebuilders 5k

HOPE IS GOOD!!

HOPE IS GOOD!!

Supersib- GRACE

Supersib- GRACE

SuperSib-- HAYES

Grier and his Wonder Pets fly boat cake!

Grier and his Wonder Pets fly boat cake!
I am 3!

Grier & Grace at Covenant

Grier & Grace at Covenant

Grier & Pat

Grier & Pat

Go Grier Go!

Go Grier Go!




Jack and Charlie wearing Go Grier Go T's

Jack and Charlie wearing Go Grier Go T's