I awoke recently at 2am for no good reason as I do more and more these days, and discovered this post from MamaKat about yet another family who lost a child to Cancer.
Some of you may know that this subject is near and dear to my heart as I lost my cousin last year to Cancer, and my mom goes in this week for a single mastectomy to ensure a long life with many grandchildren.
Therefore, I choose this Tuesday's Tribute to make 5 statements.
1. There is not one of us that this disease hasn't touched.
2. I don't care who you are, you don't deserve cancer.
3. Kids REALLY don't deserve having to go through all the baggage that comes with this disease...surgeries, chemotherapy, radiation, pain, nausea, the loss of their hair and nails...and worse.
4. The only thing that will lead to a cure is continued research.
and finally...my announcement:
5. On March 21, I will be shaving my head again in support of children's cancer research though the amazing national organization called St. Baldrick's.
Can I share with you a goose-bumpy story? Last year as we all gathered to shave our heads in empathy outside the medical center, our organizer motioned for us all to look up at the windows where the children on the oncology ward were standing and waving at us...one female doctor from the hospital was so moved by what was going on outside that she came out, walked to the front of the line, and asked us to shave every bit of the beautiful long auburn hair running down the length of her back. People cried, and laughed, and cheered, and gave everything they could to help try to stop one more child from having to go through a terrible ordeal.
This will be the second year I do this...last year I personally raised over $1600, and our venue, one of hundreds, raised over $60,000. And yes, today I am here to ask your help. There are a number of ways you can get involved.
1. You can join up, raise money, and shave your head like I do. Go here for details.
2. If you are trained, you could volunteer to be a Barber at one of the events.
3. Or if you are unable to participate in those ways, you can simply support me. $5, $10, $25, $100, whatever. EVERY BIT COUNTS. You can donate in your own name, or in someone else's, or even anonymously if you wish. Please visit my St. Baldrick's website here where you can contribute to my venue, see pictures from last year's shaving, and learn more about St. Baldrick's in general.
To Donate on the St. Baldrick's website with credit card, GO HERE.
To Donate Via PayPal, use the button below. Since PayPal funds can't be sent directly to St. Baldrick's, I have set up a PayPal account, where I will compile your contributions, and then use my own credit card to forward your donations to St. Baldrick's. What's more, since PayPal likes to take a piece of your contribution, I will supplement your contribution with my own funds to cover any PayPal fees, so your entire contribution gets to St. Baldrick's.
Tuesday's tribute is for shining your light on deserving people, things, heck even the UN-deserving!! I hope you all see this week's tribute as YOUR chance to help all those kids who are suffering from this terrible disease, as well as all those kids who WILL unless we continue the work to find a cure.
Yet Another Jay and Deb Production.
To participate in Tuesday's Tribute, Fill out a Mr. Linky below with your name and URL address to your Tribute. Need a details, or a button? Go Here.
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60 comments:
I am stealing peoples buttons (sneaky sneaky) and came across this. Is this the announcement that's happening this Tuesday?? ;)
Anyway - I think this is awesome! I want to post about it on my blog as soon as I have time and find someway to participate! I'd love to even hold an event here in the Bay Area.. I'll have to look more into what that takes though.
Awesome reason and awesome way to help!
you're the best.
Excellent! We are in the throes of raising money for Relay for Life at my school. I am sharing your story with my teachers now.
Thanks for the inspiration!
This is great!! I love the picture. I've been talking about this to my husband - he is not sure...either way we will be supporting you and this wonderful cause!!
Tuesday and her family are very near and dear to my heart! Tuesday will be missed greatly! This is a wonderful thing you are doing! It is nice to know there are great people still out there!
God Bless!
I am going to blog about this for tomorrow Jay! You are doing SUCH a great thing!
Thanks, Jay! I am in the process of helping a friend write a book about the struggle and loss of her 10 yr. old daughter to brain cancer. What a great thing you are doing!
I love that you are doing this. I've seen far too many children suffer in my short career as a pediatric nurse. I hope you raise even more money this year!
My hair folicles will be with you in spirit! This is awesome!
You weren't kidding about such a goose-bumpy story. What a touching thing that doctor did. I can tell this is something that means so much to you, and I think that what you are doing is just utterly fantastic. I'm looking forward to hearing more about how it goes.
Tuesday and her family are very close to my heart. Thank you for doing this, and I posted it on my blog. :)
That's terrific- just like you- what a great guy and cause!
Thank you for doing this! It is such a wonderful gesture.
You are so right. Cancer has touched all of our lives and it needs to be ended. the pain is too hard for anyone else to have to bear.
Tuesday's mama is a dear friend of mine. Please come over to my blog tomorrow and leave a comment. I am donating $1 for every comment to the Whitt family.
I love this! You're awesome, Jay!
I know you miss me like crazy. I am so proud to have a stalker like you. Count me in on the donation.
Jay, this is awesome! I am amazed by you!
It's an amazing thing that you're doing :)
www.firefly-shop.org
http://fireflyshop.blogspot.com/
Wow, seriously impressed! What a great thing to be a part of! I love this post!
Jay - you are a special man - you know that? I sure as hell hope so.
Love your post - love your bald head. Love you and actually want to even give you a hug. Not in a creepy way though. :-)
Em and I are kick starting another tribute to lil' Tuesday - I know you'll be by to check it out. We're working out the kinks and we know you'll help us.
:-)
YOU rule.
You are awesome, keep it up.
Pediatric cancer is my biggest concern so it really touches me that you're doing this, Jay.
I am humbled in your presence. You are doing such an awesome thing!
I read about this poor family after being sent there by MamaKat and it just brought tears to my eyes. Cancer is such a bad thing, and when it takes a child, it is nothing short of tragic. My aunt just had a double mastectomy, and I lost both my paternal grandparents to cancer. You are so right ... I don't think there is anyone who is not touched in some way by this scourge.
I am happy to support you in your cause. I'll be going over as soon as I'm done this comment to donate via credit card (I don't want you to have to make up the PayPal fees) to help support this good cause. And I admire you for doing this ... it may not seem like a lot, but it is.
Lovely tribute and I love that you are doing something about it. May your mom be cancer-free. My best wishes to her during this difficult week. I'm sure it is beyond scary for her but I'm glad that she has this option. I pray that it works and she's around to enjoy your lovely family for years to come.
God bless.
That's a great cause. I agree, kids especially don't need to know what cancer is, let alone have the disease. {{hugs}}
i sent you some paypal love. sorry i can't do more :-/ good luck!!!!
Wonderful post, Jay.
jay...this is an answer to prayer for me. i have been so saddened witht he loss of babies here in my bloggy world this weekend to cancer...and i love this idea. it's action! i donated the second i saw the opportunity! i wanna help in any way i can...my dad battles prostate cancer and my grandpa died this year from lung cancer...i'm tired of this nonesense. let's fight!!! {and prayers for your fam too!}
Jay! What can I say but that you took my breath away.
We live hours away from the Mayo Clinic and over and over people from our area are told that this part of the nation is where the majority of their cancer patients come from. I have almost become numb to it in some strange way. Maybe because it is almost "common-place".
I thank you for the post and your actions.
Bless you heart,
Kara
Jay,
I love the fact that you are so involved with. Everyone in every community has an opportunity to give and help their local or regional children's hospital. As you said no one deserves cancer, at any age. This insidious disease kills more people worldwide each year than HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, and malaria combined. Get involved like Jay has. I know this weekend in Portland Oregon, starting Thursday we have our local Children;s Cancer Association radioathon and drive. I now where I will be for 72 hrs. If you want to globally get involved with The LIVESTRONG Foundation of Austin TX. I have been a member for going on 9 years. Join me. Join Jay- do something - together we can beat this damn disease. ( sorry jay you found one of my buttons ) Awesome Job on this POST!!!
Oh how I adore that picture of you and your daughter.
Can't wait to see you take it all off!!
Very well done.
The perfect tribute is all I can say!!
Jay - beautiful. That's all I can manage to say amidst tears.
And thank you.
Simply put, you are the best!
Found you thru Jiggety...am posting the button immediately...
Thank you for sharing this with us!
You are a rockstar!
Bless you! Bless you! Bless you! As a close friend of the family I am blown away by all the love and support from those who have never even met the Whitts. You are awesome!
I'll tweet and retweet for you Jay, you are such an awesome guy!
=] Thanks for doing this. I linked to you on my blog, so hopefully it'll attract some attention.
Wow - what an amazing effort. You're right, every little bit makes a difference. I love the message behind the Tuesday Tribute.
What a wonderful thing Jay. I am linking up to your post on my blog today, hopefully I can help spread the word.
Your post today really effected me. All I can say is thanks!
You're doing a wonderful thing.
I'm sending a donation trough St Baldricks now.
I love St. Baldricks. Two of my friends participated last year and raised 2,000.
I donated my hair to locks for love when I cut it off. My mom had cancer twice, and so I'm always trying to do what I can to support the cause.
I think what you are doing is just the greatest!!
I'll be praying for your mom. My MIL just found out she has breast cancer and it's in her lymphnodes. She will begin chemo on Thursday instead of having surgery first.
Jay you are amazing!
That's amazing Jay!
Thank you for giving me this opportunity to help out!
Bald looks good!
Glad I found your blog. Kudos to you for having the fortitude to stand up and shout it....
...CANCER SUCKS...
and for doing your part to help.
Two years ago, I shaved my head but for a different cause. I gave my hair to Locks of Love. They make wigs for children battling cancer. I donated my hair in honor of my late daughter, Olivia Grace.
If any fellow St Baldrick's folks have ten inches of hair, may I suggest they first snip in a ponytail and donate the actual hair to Locks of Love before proceeding with the shave? It could be double win!
Thank you.
I posted a link. I admire you and ALL you are doing!!!
Jay~
I am brought to tears by this. Incredible what you are doing. I am going to share it with my survivor friends and on myspace/facebook etc.
I am a survivor myself...and there are no words to describe how things like this make my heart smile.
My daughter, Jordyn died from AML leukemia when she was 2 yrs old. We're truly blessed to have had her for 2 yrs, so from a Momma who's baby girl is in Heaven via cancer, thank you, so that one day maybe anoter momma will not have to know the shear horror of her child having cancer and dying from it.
I'm more than blessed to know the 3 men who founded St. Baldrick's as well as friends with Kathleen who runs the organization. I can say that they are all amazing people, truly amazing!
God Bless
I have your button up on my blog. I find what you are doing to be wonderfully inspiring!
Hi... I'm a cancer mom. My 3 year old Mike is going through chemo right now and we are hoping and praying that this one works to get rid of the brain and spine tumors. I LOVE what you are doing. We have a local St. Baldrick's team here that is doing a shave in honor of Mike this year. What a wonderful charity to be involved in! I too have been so touched by Tuesday and her family. Good luck on your shave!! :)
are the eyebrows going to come off...i think its only fair cos leukemia patients have no choice but to lose theres!!!
Jay, I love your heart in this!! This is an incredible way to help and I'm excited to support... just went and made a donation in your name, every little bit helps! We're support our local Relay for Life as well! Just want to say thank you for what you're doing!!
And, love the picture!
:)
~Tabitha~
freshmommyblog.com
THANK YOU for posting about this! DH had expressed interest in this in the past when we had seen the event on the news, but then it was always too late. This year, not too late and he's gonna do it! Thank you so much!
You are quite a guy! I am sorry for your loss.
I donated to St. Baldrick's last night on another blog where the family's 17-month old (SEVENTEEN MONTH OLD BABY!!!) was diagnosed with leukemia. Three years later, he is in remission and now his big brother and father are planning to shave their heads.
I hope you don't mind this request for your help on something we are trying to do to help raise $ for cancer research...
We have four-year-old triplets and a one-year-old toddler. My husband and I both work part-time AND we've been homeschooling our children because we had too many issues with preschool. (It was actually more difficult to get three small children up and out of the house than it was to keep them home. Go figure.)
And now, we've taken on the challenge of training and running for a marathon in order to honor one of our friends who was diagnosed with lymphoma and given a very grim prognosis. Her little boys are 2 and 4.
Since early February, I've devoted a large portion of my life (and financial resources) to trying and help raise funds for cancer research. Within the past four weeks, we've raised almost $7K.
This coming Friday, I'll have a HUGE contest up on my blog that people can enter for an AWESOME prize (it's a surprise!), if they make a $5.00, 100% tax deductible donation to cancer research.
My goal is to raise $50K for research this year - but there is no way I can do it alone. Please help us spread the word. I'm planning to do the Ovarian Cancer Research triathlon in October and the 3-Day Breast Cancer walk in November.
Thanks in advance for doing what you can to help!!
YOU ROCK!
Thank you for doing what you've done and for being a strong voice in the fight against cancer.
Absolutely amazing! You're doing a beautiful thing! God bless you!
Great work, great person, great cause. You ARE the trifecta !!!
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