Today is September 30: the last day of childhood cancer awareness month. But for families of children with this disease - and those of us who are choosing to walk beside them - it is far from over. We are aware of childhood cancer 24/7 whether we like it or not.
So much has happened this September even just within in our Break the Grey family: so many families struggling. Childhood cancer is brutal and it is ugly. One morning this month I was walking to school and just thinking about and praying for our families. So many of them were weighing heavily on my heart. I did what I do so often to try and clear my head and express myself: I turned on music.
The song I was listening to was called "The Power of Your Name" by Lincoln Brewster. The lyrics described exactly what it is Break the Grey is about, and why we are working towards awareness; why we choose to walk this journey with our families; why we don't give up.
Ultimately, at the end of the day, we do what we do because we love Jesus. Our goal is to love Jesus by loving on families of kids with cancer or other life-altering illnesses, and to see His Kingdom come in our lives and in the dark places in which we walk. That's why the chorus resonates with me:
"And I will live
To carry Your compassion
To love a world that's broken
To be Your hands and feet
And I will give
With the life that I've been given
And go beyond religion
To see the world be changed
By the power of Your name"
That's what we're about. Loving hard. Ushering in a Kingdom. Glorifying Jesus.
Listen to the song here:
And please, please, please, don't let this be the end. Just because September will end in a few hours doesn't mean that childhood cancer does. Please continue to pray for our families. Please continue to pray about what you can do to love Jesus - whether it involves our ministry or not.
Because the fight - against childhood cancer, with and for our families, and for a Kingdom - is far from over.
Hoping, Believing, and Never Giving up,
Sarah
Friday, September 30, 2011
Thursday, September 22, 2011
Evan
Please pray for Evan's family. I included Evan in my update last night. I just received word that at 6:40 this morning, Evan took his final breath here on this earth and the first in the presence of his Savior. Please pray for his family.
Childhood cancer stinks. [That classifies as the understatement of the year.]
Still hoping, still believing, and still never, ever giving up,
Sarah
Childhood cancer stinks. [That classifies as the understatement of the year.]
Still hoping, still believing, and still never, ever giving up,
Sarah
Wednesday, September 21, 2011
Front Lines
Oftentimes, the relationship between a child and cancer is referred to as a "battle" or a "war." If we think about it, that is the metaphor that we use all the time to describe any relationship to illness. We "fight cancer," we "battle immune deficiency," etc.
In the past few days I've gotten glimpses from those on the front lines of this "fight;" this "battle;" this "war on childhood cancer." And our warriors are fighting so valiantly! But many of them are struggling. Indeed, they are fighting. Please hold them and their families close in prayer.
Patrick, who is in treatment for relapsed acute lymphoblastic leukemia, was just diagnosed a few days ago with diabetes. Because he is still in treatment for cancer, his medical team is not sure whether it will resolve once he comes off therapy. We are definitely praying so! This new diagnosis is very hard for his whole family to swallow. Please pray for peace, wisdom, discernment, strength, and courage for them as they begin the battle against yet another monster.
Adam, age 7, is relatively new to our Break the Grey family. He was on schedule to receive his last inpatient chemotherapy treatment for medulloblastoma, a childhood brain cancer, earlier this month. However, he suddenly came down with bacterial meningitis. He spent about a week in the PICU and endured two emergency brain surgeries within days of each other. He lost a considerable amount of function on his left side, and is now having to work hard to regain his strength. Once he finishes this latest battle against meningitis, he is set to finish out the war on cancer with his last chemo treatment. Please pray for endurance for Adam and his family. They are ready to be done.
Evan has been fighting neuroblastoma, a particularly aggressive childhood cancer, since 2006. After being treated at St. Jude Children's Research Hospital for over 5 years, Evan and his family have exhausted all treatment options. Evan is resting with his family as they wait for Jesus to take him home.
And there are so many more! I opened up my Facebook page and was bombarded with updates coming from Break the Grey families of other childhood cancer families enduring extremely difficult things. There are many families that I don't know personally who have lost their children this week. In fact, Nick Patrick, one of our own Break the Grey kids, went to be with Jesus last month. Other families are watching their child suffer and doing everything in their power to stop it, to no avail. Others are celebrating their child's birthday in heaven this year. Still others are simply enduring treatment as usual. But that is not as easy as it sounds. They are fighting every single day.
And our childhood cancer warriors are not the only ones doing battle every day. September is childhood cancer awareness month, but this week is mitochondrial disease awareness week. This illness affects the mitochondria cells, which supply the entire body with energy. When they fail, different and entire body systems begin to shut down. We have come to know and love a few families living with this illness.
Please pray for the Hobbs family - they have three children affected by this disease - and for Matthew. Matthew was recently diagnosed, and all of his care and coordination is overwhelming.
And still more kids and families to keep in our thoughts and prayers:
Ellison Kate took her last breath on this earth and her first one in heaven at the age of three months old on August 28, 2011. Ellie is Cooper's cousin, one of our Break the Grey kids and cancer survivors! Please pray for Ellie's family, as Ellie is the second daughter that her parents have lost. She joined her sister, Maddy, in heaven.
One of our Break the Grey kids - although I'm not sure how much longer I'll be able to call her a kid - will be undergoing a kidney transplant soon. We met Michelle, age 20, at one of our Break the Grey parties at Kosair Children's Hospital a year or two ago. She underwent a liver transplant at age 2, but her transplant meds sent her into kidney failure. She is currently planning on having her kidney transplant from a living, non-related donor (just like me!) in October sometime. Please pray that the transplant process goes smoothly. Please pray for peace of mind for Michelle, her family, and her donor, and for wisdom and discernment for her medical team as they move forward.
Phew! So, so many beautiful families on the front lines of childhood cancer and other life-altering illness. My prayer is that we would be the reinforcements. May we charge forward with light in the dark, advancing a Kingdom that is imperishable and unfading. [1 Peter 1:4]
Reach the day.
Hoping, Believing, and Never Giving up,
Sarah
In the past few days I've gotten glimpses from those on the front lines of this "fight;" this "battle;" this "war on childhood cancer." And our warriors are fighting so valiantly! But many of them are struggling. Indeed, they are fighting. Please hold them and their families close in prayer.
Patrick, who is in treatment for relapsed acute lymphoblastic leukemia, was just diagnosed a few days ago with diabetes. Because he is still in treatment for cancer, his medical team is not sure whether it will resolve once he comes off therapy. We are definitely praying so! This new diagnosis is very hard for his whole family to swallow. Please pray for peace, wisdom, discernment, strength, and courage for them as they begin the battle against yet another monster.
Adam, age 7, is relatively new to our Break the Grey family. He was on schedule to receive his last inpatient chemotherapy treatment for medulloblastoma, a childhood brain cancer, earlier this month. However, he suddenly came down with bacterial meningitis. He spent about a week in the PICU and endured two emergency brain surgeries within days of each other. He lost a considerable amount of function on his left side, and is now having to work hard to regain his strength. Once he finishes this latest battle against meningitis, he is set to finish out the war on cancer with his last chemo treatment. Please pray for endurance for Adam and his family. They are ready to be done.
Evan has been fighting neuroblastoma, a particularly aggressive childhood cancer, since 2006. After being treated at St. Jude Children's Research Hospital for over 5 years, Evan and his family have exhausted all treatment options. Evan is resting with his family as they wait for Jesus to take him home.
And there are so many more! I opened up my Facebook page and was bombarded with updates coming from Break the Grey families of other childhood cancer families enduring extremely difficult things. There are many families that I don't know personally who have lost their children this week. In fact, Nick Patrick, one of our own Break the Grey kids, went to be with Jesus last month. Other families are watching their child suffer and doing everything in their power to stop it, to no avail. Others are celebrating their child's birthday in heaven this year. Still others are simply enduring treatment as usual. But that is not as easy as it sounds. They are fighting every single day.
And our childhood cancer warriors are not the only ones doing battle every day. September is childhood cancer awareness month, but this week is mitochondrial disease awareness week. This illness affects the mitochondria cells, which supply the entire body with energy. When they fail, different and entire body systems begin to shut down. We have come to know and love a few families living with this illness.
Please pray for the Hobbs family - they have three children affected by this disease - and for Matthew. Matthew was recently diagnosed, and all of his care and coordination is overwhelming.
And still more kids and families to keep in our thoughts and prayers:
Ellison Kate took her last breath on this earth and her first one in heaven at the age of three months old on August 28, 2011. Ellie is Cooper's cousin, one of our Break the Grey kids and cancer survivors! Please pray for Ellie's family, as Ellie is the second daughter that her parents have lost. She joined her sister, Maddy, in heaven.
One of our Break the Grey kids - although I'm not sure how much longer I'll be able to call her a kid - will be undergoing a kidney transplant soon. We met Michelle, age 20, at one of our Break the Grey parties at Kosair Children's Hospital a year or two ago. She underwent a liver transplant at age 2, but her transplant meds sent her into kidney failure. She is currently planning on having her kidney transplant from a living, non-related donor (just like me!) in October sometime. Please pray that the transplant process goes smoothly. Please pray for peace of mind for Michelle, her family, and her donor, and for wisdom and discernment for her medical team as they move forward.
Phew! So, so many beautiful families on the front lines of childhood cancer and other life-altering illness. My prayer is that we would be the reinforcements. May we charge forward with light in the dark, advancing a Kingdom that is imperishable and unfading. [1 Peter 1:4]
Reach the day.
Hoping, Believing, and Never Giving up,
Sarah
Tuesday, September 13, 2011
Ways to Help
September is childhood cancer awareness month, and we are a couple of weeks in. The further we get, the more I hate childhood cancer.
So many people have asked me what they can do to get involved with Break the Grey or to do something for kids with cancer. And, alas, I have an answer. Well, 3 answers. Can you babysit, pray, or eat? Then you can join the fight!
One of our families, the Hobbs, are actually not a childhood cancer family. But at Break the Grey we don't discriminate. We understand that there are a wide variety of childhood diseases that devastate families and affect them profoundly and uniquely.
The Hobbs family deals with something called mitochondrial disease. This illness affects the mitochondria cells, which supply the entire body with energy. When they fail, different and entire body systems begin to shut down. Come to find out, September 18-24 is mitochondrial disease awareness week, so this fits perfectly!
The four Hobbs kids are Melanie, Michael, Meredith, and Madison. Michael, Meredith, and Madison are all affected by mito. One of the many complications that they suffer as a result of their disease is something called glycogen storage disease, which is a nutritional/GI defect. Their mom, Jenny, is hosting a conference on glycogen storage disease this weekend and is in need of babysitters for Saturday.
If you are free, would you consider hanging out in Indianapolis, IN and loving on some chronically ill kids while their parents become more educated about their disease? Sitters are needed from 9:00-12:15 am and again from 1:30-4:45 pm. If you can only do one shift, that would still be a great help!
If you are interested, please e-mail Jenny Hobbs at jennyhobbs@alumni.wfu.edu.
Second, please join us in storming heaven's gates in prayer for one of our most courageous cancer warriors! Because I don't have expressed permission to share his information, I can't really say more, but please pray for one of our little guys. Please pray for wisdom and discernment for the medical team and for peace, comfort, hope, and courage for our dude and his family.
Lastly, eat at Chili's! On Monday, September 26, Chili's Bar and Grill is donating 100% of profits to St. Jude Children's Research Hospital in Memphis, TN. Although St. Jude only treats approximately 400 of the 30,000-40,000 kids currently in treatment for cancer in the US, it is still a worthwhile investment! Eat lunch or eat dinner, dine in or take out, it doesn't matter! If you buy food from Chili's on September 26, the profits will go to help kids with cancer!
Babysit. Pray. Eat. Never lose hope.
Hoping, Believing, and Never Giving up,
Sarah
So many people have asked me what they can do to get involved with Break the Grey or to do something for kids with cancer. And, alas, I have an answer. Well, 3 answers. Can you babysit, pray, or eat? Then you can join the fight!
One of our families, the Hobbs, are actually not a childhood cancer family. But at Break the Grey we don't discriminate. We understand that there are a wide variety of childhood diseases that devastate families and affect them profoundly and uniquely.
The Hobbs family deals with something called mitochondrial disease. This illness affects the mitochondria cells, which supply the entire body with energy. When they fail, different and entire body systems begin to shut down. Come to find out, September 18-24 is mitochondrial disease awareness week, so this fits perfectly!
The four Hobbs kids are Melanie, Michael, Meredith, and Madison. Michael, Meredith, and Madison are all affected by mito. One of the many complications that they suffer as a result of their disease is something called glycogen storage disease, which is a nutritional/GI defect. Their mom, Jenny, is hosting a conference on glycogen storage disease this weekend and is in need of babysitters for Saturday.
If you are free, would you consider hanging out in Indianapolis, IN and loving on some chronically ill kids while their parents become more educated about their disease? Sitters are needed from 9:00-12:15 am and again from 1:30-4:45 pm. If you can only do one shift, that would still be a great help!
If you are interested, please e-mail Jenny Hobbs at jennyhobbs@alumni.wfu.edu.
Second, please join us in storming heaven's gates in prayer for one of our most courageous cancer warriors! Because I don't have expressed permission to share his information, I can't really say more, but please pray for one of our little guys. Please pray for wisdom and discernment for the medical team and for peace, comfort, hope, and courage for our dude and his family.
Lastly, eat at Chili's! On Monday, September 26, Chili's Bar and Grill is donating 100% of profits to St. Jude Children's Research Hospital in Memphis, TN. Although St. Jude only treats approximately 400 of the 30,000-40,000 kids currently in treatment for cancer in the US, it is still a worthwhile investment! Eat lunch or eat dinner, dine in or take out, it doesn't matter! If you buy food from Chili's on September 26, the profits will go to help kids with cancer!
Babysit. Pray. Eat. Never lose hope.
Hoping, Believing, and Never Giving up,
Sarah
Thursday, September 1, 2011
September
In case you were unaware, September is childhood cancer awareness month. Obviously Break the Grey is extremely aware of the reality and devastation of childhood cancer, and we are trying to do something about it, no matter how small or miniscule our efforts. We are just idealistic enough to believe that they are making some sort of a difference.
I will post a more detailed, passionate, and lengthy post on childhood cancer awareness later this month, but right now I'm just writing to update you all on some of our kiddos.
First is Nick Patrick. Some of you might remember me writing about Nick and his family before. They live in Georgia and found out about Break the Grey through our website. Nick recently turned 15-years-old and has been battling brain cancer since 2009. A few months ago he was placed on hospice. However, he made a miraculous recovery and began exploring treatment options to keep the cancer at bay and extend his life. Unfortunately, all of his treatment options were exhausted and Nick met Jesus face to face on Sunday, August 28 at 7:16 am. Please hold his family close in your prayers as they grieve.
Just as we are heartbroken for Nick's family, so we experience joy at the other end of the spectrum for two of our families who have just finished or soon will be finishing treatment. One is Noah Goldberg, who just finished his IV chemo for acute lymphoblastic leukemia. He will finish his oral chemotherapy and steroids on September 15. Also the week of September 15 our buddy Adam will finish his chemotherapy for medulloblastoma, a childhood brain cancer. As you pray for Nick's family, please say a prayer of thanks for these families.
Such joy and sorrow in the same breath.
"There will be things in this life that we will mourn. But everything that we mourn has been triumphed over in the cross and the resurrection of Jesus Christ." - Dr. Brian Barlow
Reach the day.
Hoping, Believing, and Never Giving up,
Sarah
I will post a more detailed, passionate, and lengthy post on childhood cancer awareness later this month, but right now I'm just writing to update you all on some of our kiddos.
First is Nick Patrick. Some of you might remember me writing about Nick and his family before. They live in Georgia and found out about Break the Grey through our website. Nick recently turned 15-years-old and has been battling brain cancer since 2009. A few months ago he was placed on hospice. However, he made a miraculous recovery and began exploring treatment options to keep the cancer at bay and extend his life. Unfortunately, all of his treatment options were exhausted and Nick met Jesus face to face on Sunday, August 28 at 7:16 am. Please hold his family close in your prayers as they grieve.
Just as we are heartbroken for Nick's family, so we experience joy at the other end of the spectrum for two of our families who have just finished or soon will be finishing treatment. One is Noah Goldberg, who just finished his IV chemo for acute lymphoblastic leukemia. He will finish his oral chemotherapy and steroids on September 15. Also the week of September 15 our buddy Adam will finish his chemotherapy for medulloblastoma, a childhood brain cancer. As you pray for Nick's family, please say a prayer of thanks for these families.
Such joy and sorrow in the same breath.
"There will be things in this life that we will mourn. But everything that we mourn has been triumphed over in the cross and the resurrection of Jesus Christ." - Dr. Brian Barlow
Reach the day.
Hoping, Believing, and Never Giving up,
Sarah
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