Thurs. Nov. 8th
JoeyB+
While no one certainly ever wants to go through it, we are all so grateful that our B+ Hero, Joey Borowski, has a good match for his bone marrow transplant. As you may recall from my updates, Joey B (www.caringbridge.org/visit/joeyb ) battled through leukemia for 3 1/2 years and finished treatment in July, 2011. Or so we all thought, hoped, and prayed for. Two days after we had Joey on the field at Delaware Stadium in September, 2012, he and his family learned that his cancer had returned. So, Joey is now prepping for a bone marrow transplant. As you’ll see on his site, he has been fitted for his cranial mask and will undergo cranial and full body radiation prior to the transplant. Think about that, folks, when you complain that you have a stomach ache or headache.
But, as I said, at least Joey has a match. I have personally known several young people who left this world before we could find a match for them. (Check out our partner, www.dkmsamericas.org to learn how you can get on the bone marrow registry…or come to UDance on March 10, 2103 and sign up at our drive)
Yesterday, Joey’s Mom had one of their many meetings with the doctors and learned that, not surprisingly, Joey’s blood type will be changing to match that of his donor. I just shook my head and smiled when she told me that his new blood type is going to be B+. Like my boy, Andrew, this is so fitting. If you don’t know Joey personally, you don’t know what you’re missing. This kid is AMAZING! His attitude is great and he’s more concerned about his family than himself. There’s a strength, maturity, faith, and gentle heart to this kid that is just so impressive. And now, JoeyB is going to become JoeyB+! Guess what, he always was JoeyB+ in my book.
Look at Joey’s hat in the picture… “Joey 2, Cancer 0”
Enough said!!!
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Thoughts and Prayers Needed
Please try to find a minute to stop in and send encouraging thoughts to Ben Rule and his family. Ben is a young man in MN who just received a diagnosis of leukemia yesterday. Unfortunately, I can imagine how their collective head is spinning trying to grasp the reality of this situation. Your life can change so fast.
www.caringbridge.org/visit/benrule
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UDance 2013
It’s hard to believe that we’re fast approaching the “100 Days Until UDance” day. That’s a day that always puts a charge into the hard-working and dedicated students of UDance. UDance is SO much more than a 12 hour event in an arena. It’s a yearlong project, it’s an on-going relationship between 26 B+ Heroes and the students, it’s an opportunity to spread a tremendous amount of awareness about childhood cancers, and yes, it is an opportunity to raise much needed funds to fight childhood cancer. People are always shocked when I tell them that the students of the University of Delaware raised $470,000 last year alone! This money funds cutting edge research into childhood cancers. This money helps hundreds of families who are giving their all to help their precious little children beat these diseases. Often, we pay for essential, life-saving medicine and other critical needs.
I had the pleasure of speaking with the UDance Exec Board the other night. To frame the importance of the sacrifice of time and energy that they are making and its associated impact, I asked them ‘How cool would it be if the money from UDance 2013 leads to a discovery that helps bring an end to just one of the 12 major types of childhood cancer!!!’ It could happen. For those old enough, do you remember the devastating impact of polio in this country? In the US, polio is now virtually eradicated. Why can’t we do the same with childhood cancers?
A brilliant NIH researcher once told me to view our research efforts as building a floor on a skyscraper. The research that is funded by The B+ Foundation, through the efforts of all of you, might build the 15th floor of that 112 story skyscraper. We may or may not be the Dr. Jonas Salk who plants the flag on the top and gets the accolades and that is perfectly fine. We’re not doing this for the attention. The building will be built….the cancer will be cured. And it COULD NOT HAVE HAPPENED if we didn’t work together to build the 15th floor. You can’t build a 112 story skyscraper without the 15th floor!
At UD, they have shirts that say “Why do UDance?” Well, there’s one reason.
There are many more and I’ll talk about them another time. Please feel free to check out the UDance students’ website at www.UDanceDelaware.org and support their fantastic efforts.
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B+ Foundation Honored
Attainium Capital Development Advisors, LLC Names B+ Foundation 2012 Charity of the Year
We are very flattered to report that Attainium Capital Development Advisors, LLC , a global risk management consulting firm, has recognized the efforts of all of you in fighting childhood cancers.
Attainium Managing Director Brad Barros said, “My efforts over the past 25 years have focused on helping families grow and protect their wealth. The work we do at Attainium enables us to support organizations such as The B+ foundation. It is our responsibility to give back, and I can think of no better cause than B+. By supporting The B+ Foundation, we can all make an immediate and impactful difference in the lives of children fighting cancer.”
As more and more companies recognize those of us – not just The B+ Foundation – in the battle against childhood cancers, we gradually increase the topic of childhood cancer in the consciousness of America. In Malcolm Gladwell terms, there WILL be a ‘tipping point’. I am confident of that. Childhood cancer will not be one of our nation’s most embarrassing secrets forever. Little by little, we are getting to that point.
Thank you, B+ Nation, for not putting childhood cancer on the back burner. Thank you for doing so much to help us forge ahead.
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Make Your Voices Heard
Another way to increase the dialogue of childhood cancer in America is to get media attention. If Ali is the top vote-getter in the NASCAR Humanitarian of the Year contest, there WILL be media coverage of childhood cancers. We need that!
We don’t just need your daily vote. We need you to send this message out to everyone you know. It won’t cost them a penny.
Please watch this video that NASCAR made of Ali McDonough, Andrew’s big sister and co-founder of The B+ Foundation. http://bit.ly/Nsp1je And, then please vote for
Ali every day between now and Nov. 29th at www.nascar.com/award to help The B+ Foundation win $100,000 to help families of kids with cancer. Please spread the word. Thanks!
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Praying for JoeyB+, Ben, and all of the brave kids fighting cancer!!!
Live Like Andrew
Ali & Andrew’s Dad