Friday, December 24, 2010

Do you dream BIG?

I am pretty sure I would classify my self as a dream big kind of person.... I don't want to do something little when the need is HUGE.  I tend to have people around me that share the same idea and drive because there are some days I just can't give 100% to anything.... and other days I get so much done it is unbelievable-  Lesa and worked well together on the last fundraiser in September.... 30 straight days of fundraising..... it was a lot of fun and a lot of work but well worth it in the end when we sent a check to cookies for kids cancer for over $15,000--- We can call September our warm up to the Dec. 4th Bake Sale @ Blackhawk & Birkdale ( Julie Sparks and her team did an awesome job with the Birkdale location... weather was so much worse for them)-- Lesa and I like to do this event with minimal to no expenses... because every dollar spent on fluff does not go into the hands of a researcher that is working on a promising clinical trial for children.  We are so pleased to announce that the hard work by all of you that volunteered in some way to help us have a successful bake sale has paid off. Our bake sale total is over $35,000-this TOTAL does NOT include the two matches-- We are thrilled and excited that we have raised this kind of dough with "some cookies"!!  All of this money will go to pediatric cancer research in hopes of finding better treatments and a cure... We could not have had this record breaking sale without each of you helping us -- THANK YOU!  We broke the record that Richmond, VA held from the bake sale they had on Sept. 11, 2010-- we love friendly competition like this especially since the real winner are the scientist that are working hard on ideas for children and they are just waiting for funding to get their ideas to the bedside.  Charlotte has had several bake sales for Cookies for Kids Cancer... this bake sale also beat the one at Taylor's Finish Line Festival as well as more than doubling the last year's bake sale at Reid's and Blackhawk.  WAY TO GO Charlotte and Birkdale--- This is quite a feat since we did this with no help from the media -- we actually got more money today from a mini bake sale & and live nativity scene in the Foxcroft Neighborhood. who would believe that we raised $35,000 from offering cookies for a donation??.... we also had a great group of raffle items and silent auction items BUT $35K??? Sometimes I just can't believe it.... but when I allow myself to dream big - I never doubted it would be huge-- We are already thinking about next year... WHY?? Because the need for funding is HUGE... and until we all make the commitment to children fighting cancer the need will remain HUGE.

ok-- enough of that soap box... good thing I wrote that days ago because after the recent events with friends I would not be so upbeat-- Neuroblastoma just sucks!!!  Grier has been doing really well-- we managed the BIG D side effect of chemo with lots of Imodium..and his counts have stayed in the good range... He had another finger prick today and the news was the same... good counts!  The other exciting... hmm, not sure exciting is the right word... but the NEWS from NYC is that Grier's blood test came back and he is HAMA negative again.  That is all we know... Since he is "due" for his scans in January this may add other options for the NB team... meaning besides this low-dose chemo that he has been on for the last six months and waiting for his immune system to kick in so he could qualify for the phase 1 vaccine trial... he could now do 3F8 (again)! Grier heard me ask Dr. McMahon if the vaccine would be better to try or should I push for 3F8?  He answers... I AM NOT DOING 3F8 again!!! He caught us both off -guard... and Dr. M just shook his head and said it is not right he evens knows what 3F8 is!  I said... oh, being 6 1/2 is going to be fun... and then I asked Grier, what is 3F8?  He said it was when he had to go in a room by himself and they lined up lights on him and SHUT the door and left him in there by himself ( can you tell he does not like to be by himself?)... whew!!.. he was not talking about 3F8.. but radiation!!! Not that it is any better he knows what that is but 3F8 is a lot worse! I asked more questions about what to pursue next... I even asked if we should look into CHOP ( children's hospital of Philly) to see if they have anything we should try... and the answer is good and bad... the good is Grier has had a positive response to chemo every time he has relapsed.  The bad is.. keeping him clean is the needle in the haystack we are looking for and the rest of the Neuroblastoma world.  He suggested we could do a bone marrow transplant now... but there is nothing proven that this would keep him clean.. and we would be burning lots of bridges doing that! So... we are still in a good/bad spot.... I know it could be worse..  We are going to enjoy the holidays and then get scans done and I am sure we will have a treatment plan.  January will be spent in NYC for scans... and who knows what else...I am going to email tomorrow and start the scheduling process.. I think I am close enough to Christmas that there is NO chance to have to leave town in December!!

3 more days and Christmas will be here... I am more than ready!!! After a slow start mainly due to the bake sale being my priority-- we are finally a little ready.  I did not decorate as much... I decided it was ok.... I can't do everything and as they say "something has to give"--- I am a master of that phrase now... I did throw together a photo card... mainly because Grace reminded me that I did not do a card last year... I think she missed it the most.  We got our tree last weekend in the rain... and put some of our ornaments on it.... when the kids were tired of hanging them I decided that it was a "perfect tree" and we were done! Grier will be a Shepard in the Children's Christmas Eve service... he has written his letter to Santa... and we will bake some cookies before Christmas Eve for Santa... well, maybe... might just go buy some :)  I can't wait to see them open presents on Christmas morning... I am sure I will get to see a reaction from Grier.... can't wait to share a picture!  ( NO... it is not a LIVE puppy!!-- I am crazy but not THAT crazy...)

My favorite gift this year was the HUGE donation we mailed to Cookies For Kids Cancer... It was a gift of Hope from the Charlotte/Huntersvile community... that needle in the haystack needs to be found... and knowing 100% of this donation is going to fund trials for children gives me hope... Merry Christmas Eve everyone....we wish you all Peace, HOPE and Health in the new year~

Tuesday, December 14, 2010


Grier finished his week of chemo last Friday.  He had a pretty uneventful week in the infusion room... his best part was decorating a gingerbread house... It was a welcome break from tracing team logos for me... I am so glad he wanted to change up the routine we have been in for the last 6 weeks of chemo!!  Here is a fun fact-- I got a THIS IS NOT A BILL from Blue Cross/Blue Shield today-- last week's 5day chemo aka as 1 1/2 hour infusion each day cost $15K!!!!!    I am sure they LOVE us... we have done this 6 times!!!!  Tuesday he got nauseous as we got ready to leave the clinic but we just hung out for a little bit until the wave passed... and then went home and he never mentioned it again.  He had his kindergarten Holiday program that night and dressed up and sang songs with this class... He was very proud of himself and I was just amazed he just kept going after the week he had with the infusions.  We went to the clinic yesterday to check his counts and so far he has not really been affected by this chemo--- I am sure it is doing something in his body... well, I hope.. because we are infusing him with poison.  Our friend on the same chemo has had low counts and hair loss again... it is just crazy how the same drugs affect everyone differently... I still can not believe that we are up to the 17th week of chemo since this HELL started over 3 years ago--  Yesterday at the clinic was another milestone.... Grier sat in the IV procedure room in a chair by himself and had his finger pricked.... THIS IS HUGE in our world--- I can not tell you how many times I have had to hold him down while he screamed and BIG tears came down his cheeks.... He was very proud to share this news with his brother and sister.... they were not so impressed.  Last week we mailed a vial of blood to NYC to be tested for HAMA-- I think that 3F8 may be an option for him again-- now we just wait to see if he is HAMA negative again.  I am reliving last year a little... it was last December that we lived in NYC -- Grier did 3F8 and radiation so we were there for almost 4 weeks... Christmas in NYC is fun... I was wishing we were at Radio City Music Hall watching Christmas Spectacular again.... and walking the streets smelling the Christmas Trees as we walked around the city... This is actually the first December since we started this journey that we have not been in the city for a little while... I guess I should be thrilled but some of our new traditions are in NYC-

Other than school, chemo, doctor appointments and wrestling with his brother.... Grier has added Golf after school... he seemed to love it today... but also said it was boring because he knows it all-- LOL!!

I have been very busy with Lesa wrapping up the bake sale.  You would not believe the donations that are still coming in daily for Cookie For Kids Cancer.  I have to keep recounting our total..... Today we heard the total from Birkdale ( our satellite location) and they did an awesome job-- almost $10K-- considering the weather was much worse than ours and they were not covered it is more than great!!! I am so glad Julie helped us make that happen with all her friends--  Julie's son, Adam even had a hospital stay for nutepenia days before the sale.... and she still pulled off a great bake sale!!!
We have lots of stories from the bake sale... My favorite is the email I got from friends that told us they had a donation to give to CFKC at the bake sale.  Their kids had been given money from their Grandparents to make a donation to a charity of their choice and the girls chose our bake sale--- I also got an email from friends that moved to PA and wanted to do something to help but since they were not in town they decided to have a HOT CHOCOLATE stand for CFKC-- Needless to say it was very successful and they helped spread lots of awareness and raised a lot of money to go towards our total donation.
T-shirt sales have been picking up too--- We are almost out of Adult T's BUT have tons of kids T's--- nothing would make me happier... than to sell all of these before we send our check to CFKC this week! Want one or ten??? email me .... amychristenbury@att.net

I am looking forward to saying good-bye to 2010!!! I think this year has been one of the toughest since we started this journey.... not just from a personal standpoint but also from watching what our friends from both clinics have gone through.  I hope 2011 brings better luck for us and maybe gives us the courage we need to make some changes --being "stuck" in quicksand is getting old!- and gives us a well-deserved break from the roller coaster ride called NB--- I know... we have to stay in top of it ... but it would be nice to be in control again.

Thursday, December 9, 2010

Buy a cookie!

Buy a cookie!


Buy a cookie!

Bake sale raises money for pediatric cancer research
Shoppers at the Cookies For Kids’ Cancer research fundraiser event in south Charlotte Saturday, Dec. 4, had lots of treats to pick from. Cookies, brownies and cupcakes were crowd favorites.
Hundreds of south Charlotte bakers, volunteers and cookie lovers came together Saturday, Dec. 4, to raise money for pediatric cancer research with the third annual Cookies for Kids’ Cancer bake sale, raffle and silent auction.
Amy Christenbury and Lesa Helbein spearheaded the event, along with Christenbury’s children, Hayes, 13, a seventh-grader at Alexander Graham Middle School, Grace, 11, a fifth-grader at Selwyn Elementary School and Grier, 6, a kindergartner at Selwyn.
Doctors diagnosed Grier with stage 4 Neuroblastoma, a nerve cell cancer, in 2007.  He was 2 years old. Since then, the family has worked to raise awareness for the fight that Grier and so many other children face.
The bake sale, which organizers held from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. at Blackhawk Hardware in the Park Road Shopping Center, raised thousands of dollars for pediatric cancer research, as hundreds of people milled around, searching through baskets of treats for the perfect choice.
“The event took months to plan and required lots of legwork, phone calls and emails,” Christenbury said.  “We had 23 local bakeries help out, plus about 100 moms who baked items.  It was cold on Saturday, but it was really crowded and it all went really well.”
The event was packed with volunteers, including Grayson Cassels and Sara Kathryn McCormick, who are both students at Charlotte Country Day School.
Cassels and McCormick were in charge of pulling the Cookies for Kids’ Cancer Little Red Wagon around the shopping center, braving the cold and maneuvering between large crowds to peddle their cookies and brownies.
“Everything we raise goes toward research,” McCormick, who goes to church with the Christenbury family, said proudly. “We’re doing it in honor of Grier.”
South Charlotte girls brave the cold weather Saturday, Dec. 4, to serve as the first line of attack at the Cookies For Kids’ Cancer fundraiser bake sale at the Park Road Shopping Center. The event, like others held by the south Charlotte nonprofit, was aimed at raising money to support pediatric cancer research.
Three girls stood outside the fundraiser, trying to lure in potential customers with signs and baskets. Customers pulled up and bought baked goods from the girls, who were dressed as cupcakes and chocolate chip cookies.
Bakers from Polka Dot Bake Shop, Nova, Tizzerts, Suarez and others turned out on Saturday to sell their confections and help the Charlotte community raise money.
The event offered a wide variety of baked goods, as well as a raffle and silent auction that included NASCAR tickets, gift cards to local restaurants and spas and art from local artists such as Anne Neilson, Pam Anderson, Caroline Simas and Windy O’Connor.
The event organizers will donate 100 percent of the money raised to Cookies for Kids’ Cancer.
While organizers are still working to calculate the total generated by the event, Christenbury said they raised at least $20,000 on Saturday alone.  Earlier contributions and proceeds from a satellite bake sale held at Birkdale Village in Huntersville have yet to be factored in, and Christenbury said that, days later, people are still sending in donations.
“These events are all volunteer-driven and all of the money goes to research,” Christenbury said.  “Our donation will be matched by both Bank of America and Glad, so it’s easy to see how a couple of cookies can turn into a huge donation.”
According to the organization’s website, the goal of Cookies for Kids’ Cancer is, “raising funds to support research for new and improved therapies for pediatric cancer. Through the concept of local bake sales, Cookies for Kids’ Cancer provides the inspiration and support for individuals, communities, and businesses to help fight pediatric cancer.”
For more information, visit www.cookiesforkidscancer.org/.

Sunday, December 5, 2010

I wanted to do a little "bake sale update before my crazy week starts tomorrow-- Grier will be doing chemo all week-- so we will again be in our routine of "kindergarten/chemo"  I also got a message from our doctor that NYC wants them to send blood to test for HAMA --- I am hoping he is HAMA negative so we can move to something other than chemo--we are also pretty close to the next set of three month scans...  I know he will have to scan before the next treatment is decided. Looks like they are adding 3F8 to the vaccine option now---

OK-- we are still counting money but we are over $15k at this point.... we have not added the satellite location, Birkdale yet... so stayed tuned.  Saturday was a great day.... the only thing that could have made it better would have been the weather.... Wouldn't it be nice to be able to control that too?? It would be scary to think how well we could do on a sunny day.... last year's bake sale was rainy too--- I will post pictures soon.... I don't have that many so if you were at the bake sale and taking pictures.. please send me some.

THANKS to everyone that helped us pull this BAKE SALE off-- more to come later...

Amy

ps-- We have tons of T's left-- we are selling them and the money goes into our bake sale total--
They are $5 each for ANYONE that baked, volunteered, donated raffle items or DID ANYTHING to help us-- $10-- for EVERYONE else :)  Please email me if you would like a T- let me know what size... and I will leave it for you ... or send it to you- amychristenbury@att.net

If you would like to donate to our online giving page...

To make  a SECURE ONLINE DONATION WITH YOUR CREDIT CARD... COPY AND PASTE THIS LINK--

Friday, December 3, 2010

ONE MORE DAY UNTIL WE HOPE TO CHANGE SOME LIVES WITH A BAKE SALE!

I am getting ready to tell you all about the Cookies For Kids Cancer Bake sale which is TOMORROW-- but first I wanted to show you this picture of Grier with his new FAUX-HAWK!!! The last time he lost his hair due to chemo I promised him a MO-HAWK so this is what we have tried first to make sure he wanted it-- He LOVES it!!! He went to bed last night SO worried that is was going to get messed up-- Tonya made his night... and he has been grinning ever since... 


Here is a little glimpse of Thanksgiving in Kindergarten.... Grier also help the Ronald McDonald House of Charlotte make their cards this year for Thanksgiving... I forgot to mention that... They turned out really cute.  

ok-- TOMORROW is the....
 3rd ANNUAL COOKIES FOR KIDS CANCER BAKE SALE
@ BLACKHAWK HARDWARE
PARK ROAD SHOPPING CENTER
10-5pm
1000's of HOMEMADE BAKED GOODS
23 local bakeries represented ( Polka Dot Bake Shop, Tizzerts, Dean and Deluca, EarthFare, Great Harvest, NOVA, Sunflower Bakery, Skinny Cakes, Cakes by Allison, Edible Art and MANY MORE)

There is a satellite location at BIRKDALE across from SANTA TOMORROW as well from 
12-6pm

100% of the DONATIONS will go to CFKC and they will fund research for PEDIATRIC CANCER CLINICAL TRIALS- 100%!!!

This is a great place to buy you holiday gifts for friends and neighbors.... YOU make a donation to CFKC and then as a THANK YOU take some bake goods HOME for you or to SHARE!

The BLACKHAWK location will have face painting, tattoos, a firetruck, colored hair extensions by T. Reid, nail painting by snip-its, cookie decorating from Suarez Bakery etc.... 

Both locations have an AWESOME RAFFLE --- ITEMS that you are going to be so excited about-  Don't forget to check out that table when you come.  

T-shirts will be sold at both events.. kids and Adult sizes..... we will have have "caps for a cure"-they will have BOTTLE cap necklaces--- 


WHAT ELSE CAN I DO TO HELP?? We need your help telling everyone that you know to come to BLACKHAWK on Saturday from 10-5 Please email friends, Neighbors, teams, schools, churches and let them know about the BAKE SALE-- POST it on your FB page or Twitter...

 CASH ONLY?????? Checks ARE accepted…. Please make them out to Cookies For Kids CancerAsk your company about matching your gift. 
To make  a SECURE ONLINE DONATION WITH YOUR CREDIT CARD... COPY AND PASTE THIS LINK--


What are you going to do with the left overs???  Well-- we are hoping we will sell OUT--- but if your place of business would like to make a bid on all the leftovers...let Lesa or Amy know---- They would be great as a holiday treat for your office!



COME HELP US CHANGE THE STATISTICS ABOUT PEDIATRIC CANCERS ONE COOKIE AT A TIME!!!

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