Helping Local Families Battling Pediatric Cancer

Our Sage Healthcare team in Tampa raised almost $5,000 during an auction to bid on reserved parking spaces.  Every year Sage chooses a charity to donate the funds to.  I was thrilled to hear they chose the JRF this year.  The foundation will be able to help at least five more families with some expenses while their child is in cancer treatment.  The referrals seem to come in waves…either it’s quiet for a few weeks (a good thing) or I get a few referrals back-to-back.  Assisting these families during this emotionally devastating and financially difficult time is one way the foundation helps.  Often others reach out to me for a referral.  It’s heart-warming to see a family receive additional assistance from various sources as an extension of what you do.  

Last year, one of the families the JR foundation helped was a young single mom whose 3 year old daughter was diagnosed with a brain tumor in the summer of 2010.  They were living in a small apt in Tampa.  She also had a 2 year old son.  The mom was working until her daughter was diagnosed but she had to quit her job to take care of her daughter, Yalissa, around the clock during treatment.  The family stayed at the Ronald McDonald House in St. Pete because they had to be at the hospital every day for weeks for aggressive treatment.  There was no cure but the protocol will buy them 6-8 months of time, the doctors told her.  All the while this young woman was amazing with keeping her own spirits up while chasing after her 2 year old son and taking care of her daughter.  She had no family that lived locally to help her. 

I visited them at the RMcD House and brought her gift cards.  Needless to say, it was extremely difficult for me because I knew well what lied ahead for her.  Simply anticipating the pain that she will come to know was a raw feeling for me…having lost Jessie not long ago myself.  What mattered most was that this young mother not feel like she was alone…that there are people who truly care no matter what their own circumstances may be.  The foundation provided the family with $1,000 in assistance but they needed so much more financial help and most of all, they needed a miracle.  I connected her with two other local charities that gave her some assistance and two other people who asked me who they can help for the holidays.  One of my friends sent the young mom $500 and the other had her company adopt the family for the holidays by giving them presents. 

A few months after Christmas, right after Yalissa turned 4 years old, she passed away.  The mom posted on my fb that Yalissa and Jessie, our Princess Angels, were in Heaven playing together.  From time to time, we check in on each other still.  I guess you can say we belong to a very special club.