Below is a letter from Liam's school. We will be donating, and if anyone would like to donate as well to this cause, please contact me:
Dear K.V. parents,
As many of you remember, for the past several years we have sponsored a Hug-a-Bear project for our Christmas fundraiser. This year, we would like to shift our focus to help meet a need a little closer to home. We have as a part of our school two very special girls who are in the midst of their battle with cancer. This year, we will be replacing our hug-a-bear project with a fundraiser in behalf of these families.
Some of you may know one of our sweet Tater Tots named Alivia C. Alivia has been undergoing treatment for Pre B acute lymphocytic leukemia (ALL) since July of 2010. She is loving, tender hearted, playful, outgoing, happy, smart, talkative... all mixed together with a kick of diva! It's hard not to love her. She loves EVERYONE! And she'll be your best friend in a heartbeat. Alivia is very brave, and her treatments are going well. She has a long road ahead with weekly outpatient chemotherapy treatment over the course of the next three years. Her family is positive and full of hope.
The second little fighter is Daphne Y. Daphne was registered to begin Sweet Peas this fall when, last May, she was also diagnosed with ALL. She is currently not well enough to attend, but hopes to next year. Daphne is full of personality. She is the sweetest little girl you'll ever meet. She helps around the house, is polite, and always tries to be a good friend. She loves to giggle and play. She loves to learn. Her blue eyes twinkle, her nose crinkles, and her blonde ringlets bounce. Her parents, amazingly, count their blessings through this difficult time. They feel lucky to be near Primary Children's, lucky that Daphne has a curable form of cancer, and lucky their little girl has responded so well to chemotherapy. Her treatments should last about two more years.
There is so much hope for these two special girls. But that does not mean the road won't be hard or that it won't be long. They have bouts of nausea. They gain weight. They lose weight. They lose hair. They attend physical therapy. They receive weekly chemotherapy. And they need our support through this difficult time.
If you have a child, you know the fear attached to those moments when you look at your little one and you realize just how fragile and vulnerable their life really is. These two families deal with that reality in an agonizingly personal way each and every day. This holiday season, many of us are blessed with the means to help them fight this battle. Money should never have to be an issue when it comes to saving a child.
Not only do we have the opportunity to help these families, but this fundraiser also gives us a fantastic chance to help our children understand the true meaning of the Christmas season. Many schools hold fundraisers for many different purposes, but at our school, we like to use fundraisers as an opportunity to teach children selflessness, a value that is being lost in today's self-centered world.
We will start accepting donations November 8th and will continue to accept donations until the Christmas break. Here are some ideas on how to get your children involved and excited about helping these special girls:
· Talk to your child about what cancer is and how it changes the lives of the families affected by it. Ask them how they would like to help.
· Together, check out the families' blogs: www.loveforlivi.blogspot.com and www.dailydaph.wordpress.com The pictures may help them see that these are real children who aren't much different from them.
· If your son or daughter earns money through chores or receives an allowance, encourage him or her to think about donating some of that money.
· Consider how your family might help. Remember that absolutely 100% of your donation will go right to these families.
We would love for this to be a major home run for Alivia and Daphne! Please join us, and let us know if you have any ideas for ways we could encourage everyone in our school to give what they can. Thank you in advance for your generous support.
Most Sincerely,
K.V.
