Leukemia Walk

shellyinphx · Long Lost DiMera Daughter

Leukemia Walk

Moore ideas · Moore Ideas Not More Ideas!

This thread takes me back a very long way, and although it's going to put a magnifying glass on my old age, I'm going to post anyway.

When I was probably eleven years old (maybe twelve, but I think that eleven is probably right), Danny Thomas (Marlo's father) was trying to raise money for research on leukemia (primarily for leukemia in children), and that money was supposed to go to St. Jude's hospital.

There was a national drive called "Children's March Against Leukemia", and those who went door-to-door were meant to be children.

I signed up for that march! I went all over our neighborhood, and beyond. I don't have any memory now of how much I raised, but I do remember that I was quite satisfied with the amount at the time. Since then, I've had a special affection for St. Jude's (I feel a bit like family), a pride in the strides that have been made forward in fighting this disease, and just the smallest amount of pride in knowing that I participated in the fight when I was still just a little girl myself.

The campaign wasn't terribly long after I had lost my mother, so I could imagine what it must be like to be a child fighting a terminal illness. Back then, if a child was diagnosed with leukemia, it was a death sentence with a very rapid conclusion.

Thanks for the link!

-- Edited by Moore ideas at 22:45, 2008-08-16

shellyinphx · Long Lost DiMera Daughter

Thank you so much for sharing that, and don't worry about your age. You look fantastic so it doesn't matter. I love St. Jude and think that its an amazing cause. This cause that I am doing is actually more for the research of it then for the treatment. Both are amazing. I remember when my sister had leukemia both times actually one of the hardest things was that she was technically an adult and not covered on my parents insurance. The company she worked for tried to deny the claim saying some crap about it being preexisting. Since then there is now a Phoenix Childrens Hospital in Phoenix that runs all on donations. It was built on donations. Its an awesome place and I think a lot like St. Judes. I have to tell you that of all the kids we met while going through all that with Sharon they were all surprisingly strong. A lot of them are so young they didn't really know well enough to be scared *the parents are a while nother story though.

Last week at church a guy stood up and said a co-worker went in for unexplainable bruises and was on chemo the very next day. Thats scary and even with all the research now leukemia still has such a bad prognosis. Not a lot of people survive, we were extremely blessed because Sharon survived it twice. My sister made a really good point, not that all cancers aren't bad but leukemia isn't like some forms of breast cancer or other cancers where you can cut the cancer out. You need your bone marrow to live.

Anyways, that's my soapbox and now I am off to bed. Have a good one everyone.

shellyinphx · Long Lost DiMera Daughter

I am just going to bump this. I don't expect anyone to donate but if you happen to know anyone who would like to could you forward this on...Please. I have had to change the walk and we are now walking on Jolene's birthday. So that is pretty cool

Moore ideas · Moore Ideas Not More Ideas!

Thanks for the reminder, Shelly! I just made a donation (had been meaning to, and kept forgetting), and I hope that you have a fun walk. How nice that it now falls on Jolene's birthday.

I'll be walking with you in spirit!

shellyinphx · Long Lost DiMera Daughter

Thanks Moore, we aren't going to be too far from you. We will be down in MD

shellyinphx · Long Lost DiMera Daughter

I am actually just bumping this. I know I got the donations from you all. But just wanted you guys to keep this in mind in case you can think of someone who enjoys giving to things like this.