Some kids that we are very close to (either virtually or physically, but always emotionally) are having a tough time right now. Would you please take a moment and think a good thought, say a prayer, say thanks to someone or no one in particular, in their name? You can also visit their sites and let them know that a lot of people are thinking of them.
Sam Hutchinson (
www.teamsam.com)
Sam and Max got to meet some pretty good sports heroes together. Below: Trevor Hoffman. Bottom: Sean White,
Bob Burnquist, Bucky Lasek and Tony Hawk with some sort of weird lens flare on his face, hanging at Tony's warehouse in 2007.
Sam has had off-and-on pain problems for more than a month. He needs pain relief and a therapy that works. We hope he and his super-human parents find both, fast.
SYDNEY DUDLEY (
https://www.carepages.com/carepages/Sydneymarie/)
Sydney has been treated for years by Dr. Sholler. Her mom Rhonda is a rock and always finds a way to be cheerful despite sometimes dire circumstances. They just found out today, after a relatively calm 2 years after Sydney beat back relapse, that she has cancer in her pancreas and possibly liver. Some other areas are stable or improved. So some good new but mostly bad.
ERIK LUDWINSKI (
http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/erikludwinski)
We almost got the chance to meet Erik in person (he was going to come out to Maxapalooza and stay with us - how fun would that have been?!), but got the privilege of meeting Donna and the rest of the Ludwinski crew this past summer. Erik has had a lot of pain issues - a lot seemingly caused by spinal cord compression from a tumor wrapped around his spinal cord - and just went through surgery to have it removed (it was successful!). Erik has a difficult road ahead of him and his tireless mom is smart and tireless as she investigates possible treatments. Erik has been fighting this disease since he was six and he's now 24. Time for the guy to get a break (and his mom too).
Please pray for
Erik and
Sydney,
Will (who had improved scans today!) and
Sam,
Riley,
Nathan and
Aidan, and all the other precious kids fighting pediatric cancer.