Happy Birthday Marie

Gwen would have been one year old, back in March. You would have been 21 today. You both shared your "0" year - it would have been fun to always know you were the same "ten". So many things would have been fun if you were still here. I'd see you today, on your birthday, when we get into Chatt - it would have been fun!

Lil made up a memory, or maybe it is real - I just don't know - but she said one day, "rmember how Aunt Marie used to say, (and she spoke in sweet, happy voice that I could really hear you saying) "Whooooo ate the cupacke?" So, my plan is to always have cupcakes on your birthday :)

Here's us remembering you and Gwen on May 14th, 2011.

"“There’s no cure. If this works, I have 4 years, if not, 6 months.”

On my side and my husbands side of the family we have several cousins on our hearts who are fighting cancer (one, on my side recently lost his battle). They are all around my parents age. I know too many friends who's parents battle/have battled cancer. I know of children too... Cancer is so devastating and everywhere it seems-

I have two friends who are cancer survivors - both mothers (one who wasn't given hope that she'd live to have a child the other unsure if she'd be able to stay with hers). Both faced unbelievable odds.  To-date they are both cancer-free.

This sweet, sad, story written by my cancer-warrior, cancer-survivor, friend - a mother of three, -well, it just is sad and sweet and real...and I wanted to share it...

It's Not About Age: http://www.springofjoy.org/the_library/its-not-about-age

Keep funding cancer research, keep praying for the cure and be aware of the blessing of good health when you are so blessed... don't miss that... and even better, while you are healthy - take up a cause to support - causes like this shouldn't just be left to those who are personally affected. Take up more than one!

"Life is a tragedy, confront it...Life is too precious, do not destroy it. Life is life, fight for it. -Mother Teresa (thanks to CHD warrior Zoe's mama - I found this quote on her bog and it's kinda my mantra now).

And while I'm here - I want to share one way you can help that I know of personally- below is a link to Jason Williams' story - he is a friend of Becca and Patrick and baby Connor (my sister and brother-in-law and new nephew). He is battling Pancreatic Cancer:

http://www.jasonhenrywilliams.com/p/my-cancer-story.html 

Here is a short summary written by Jason:

"The doctors at Johns Hopkins have decided that the vaccine trial might not be the safest or best way to treat my cancer. They believe that my many episodes of pancreatitis, irritated an already present cyst and lead to my cancer. I will be making trips up to Baltimore/Johns Hopkins for Pancreatitis clinics and to see specialists who can hopefully cure or manage my pancreatitis. If this is possible, they believe that my cancer will more than likely not return....

I am accepting donations to help pay for my Pancreatic Cancer treatments. You can donate safely and securely, using your debit/credit card via PayPal.

Thank you all for your continued support through this journey - it means a lot!"

My sister-in-law, Becca shared Jason's story with me a while back. She is the one who was there to help us when Gwen was born - who posted for us on this blog many times...goodness, she is the one who announced for us here, the loss of precious Gwen, she is whom we have to thank for the enormous amount of great photos we have of sweet Gwen (and of Lillian too) and in this small way, I want to pay-it-forward and use this blog to help support her friend - I can vouch for the legitimacy of this story and website, so I wanted to do so - so there you go - if you are so inclined to donate, there is one little thing you can do to support someone struck by cancer.