Tues. Oct. 16th

Featured Family of the Week

Tyler was a seemingly very healthy 14 year old boy (sounds eerily familiar to me).  He couldn’t grip his mini-bike so his parents took him to the hospital.  The doctors gave him Aleve and sent him home.  A few days later, Tyler woke up and couldn’t walk.  He was rushed to the hospital and this time, they discovered that he had a tumor wrapped around his spinal cord.  He was diagnosed with Ewings Sarcoma (cancer) and immediately began chemotherapy.

Tyler has 5 spots on his right lung and has begun chemo and radiation.  Part of the protocol calls for 48 hour chemo and another chemo drug administered over 5 days.  The family is being told that this will be the treatment plan for at least a year.  It takes the family 1 1/2 to 2 hours each way to get to the hospital and their car was in need of necessary repairs.  In their thank-you note to you, the Mom wrote:

“I appreciate the money.  If I could, I would hug each and every one of you.  I’ve never had to ask for help.  I’ve always done everything myself.  I cried when I saw the check because we REALLY need this.  Thank you EVERYONE!”

Thank you, B+ Nation!

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How Can You Help Fight Childhood Cancer Today? 

I’m going to give you two easy ways and it won’t cost you a penny.

1.  We have a 1 in 4 chance of winning $100,000 to help families of kids with cancer!!!  We can help 200 families with this money.  Trust me, raising this kind of money for our families is NOT easy.  This is as easy as it gets!  All you have to do is visit www.nascar.com/award and vote for Ali McDonough.  Vote today AND everyday between now and Nov. 29th.  AND, copy this link and post it on FB, send the link to all your friends, spread it around everywhere, etc.  Seriously, if we can’t get this link and opportunity to go viral considering all the stupid stuff that gets posted on Facebook, we have a serious issue with our priorities.  Set the recurring reminder on your calendar and please vote right now.

2.  Gavin Lindberg, a friend and fellow childhood cancer fighter, sent me the following note.

I wanted to pass along the creation of a new citizen petition on the White House “We The People” website.  It calls
on the President to appoint a pediatric cancer specialist to the National Cancer Advisory Board (NCAB).  The NCAB is the advisory council for
the National Cancer Institute (NCI).  The board helps set the strategic direction for the NCI and has direct input on grant and funding
decisions. 

NCAB members are appointed directly by the President.   Currently, there are NO pediatric oncologists on the panel.

If it generates 25,000 signatures in the next month (deadline is Nov. 8th), it will trigger a formal review and official response from the White House.  The petition is
here:

https://petitions.whitehouse.gov/petition/appoint-childhood-cancer-specialist-national-cancer-advisory-board/75KYzxmS

 

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My friend, Kevin Reilly

When we were in the hospital, one of our frequent visitors and greatest supporters was my friend, Kevin Reilly.  Kevin was a star football player at Salesianum (Andrew’s school), Villanova, and with the Philadelphia Eagles.  Kevin lost his arm to cancer and went on to a very successful career at Xerox, as a motivational speaker, and as a radio/tv analyst for football games.  Kevin is one of the most amazing and inspiring guys you will ever meet.

Kevin is involved with organizing a 5k for desmoid tumor patients and I told him that it would be my honor to share details of his event with you.  So, if you’re in the Philly area and want to get some exercise this coming Sunday, come out and support a good cause.

Race Day Schedule

  • 7am – 8am : Race day registration & packet pick up

  • 8am : Kids’ fun run

  • 8:45am : 5k run and walk start

Location:

The Please Touch Museum
Memorial Hall in Fairmount Park, 4231 Ave. of the Republic, Philadelphia, PA 19131
ATTN GPS USERS:  Use “4231 N. Concourse Drive” for directions

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With the baseball play-offs in full swing, I decided to update the profile picture on www.caringbridge.org/visit/andrewmcdonough with a cool picture of a really great kid who was a really good pitcher!!!  🙂

B+

Ali & Andrew’s Dad

www.caringbridge.org/visit/andrewmcdonough

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Wed. Oct. 10th