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Cancer

Never Ever Give Up! NEGU.Org

I just got a Facebook posts a few minutes ago that Jessie Rees passed away at 12 years old from an inoperable brain tumor. Jessie was an incredible girl, who in her 12 short years touched thousands of lives. Her motto, “Never Ever Give Up!” In her battle, she created a non-profit aptly named just that the TheNEGUFoundation.Org

Jessie was determined to help others rather than worry about herself. She wanted to be better not bitter, according to her Dad. During her battle with brain cancer Jessie created Joy Jars, jars filed with play dough, crayons and little treasures to give sick children joy and comfort during their time in the hospital.

This is her story and you just might need to grab the kleenex.

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c95EUjw28KM&feature=endscreen&NR=1]

Jessie handed out over 2,500 Joy Jars during her short life, created a non-profit to inspire thousands of children with pediatric cancer, made over 50,000 Facebook friends that she referred to as her prayers and left us all a legacy of compassion, love and inspiration. Thank you Jessie for showing us all that Charity Matters. May you rest in peace, sweet angel.

Copyright © 2012 Charity Matters. This article may not be reproduced without explicit written permission; if you are not reading this in your newsreader, the site you are viewing is illegally infringing our copyright. We would be grateful if you contact us.


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Charity Matters Inspiration

Faith’s Lodge

There are times when there are just not words. One of those times is the loss of a child. There is nothing that can be said that heals the empty place left behind by one you loved so deeply.

Yet, families have to begin to pick up the pieces of their lives and try to find a place of hope when it seems there isn’t any. That place is Faith’s Lodge.Org. Faith’s Lodge was started by Mark and Susan Laceck who lost their infant daughter and were determined to help others with her legacy.

What they created was a beautiful lodge where families who have lost children can go together to relax, create new memories, reflect, grieve and heal.

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Faith’s Lodge is a place where hope grows. Anytime there is hope there is a beginning.

Copyright © 2011 Charity Matters. This article may not be reproduced without explicit written permission; if you are not reading this in your newsreader, the site you are viewing is illegally infringing our copyright. We would be grateful if you contact us.


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Diabetes

One woman Wonder: Lee Ducat Founder JDRF

Its fitting that the day after Halloween marks the beginning of National Diabetes month. The decorations are still up and the candy treats still linger in our homes and we tell our children,”Don’t eat too much candy or you will become diabetic.”

The reality is that 40 children will be diagnosed today with Juvenile Diabetes. That is over 13,000 children just this year with new cases. They are not diabetic because of the candy bowl but due to a pancreas that doesn’t produce insulin.

Larry Ducat was one of these children in 1970 and his mother Lee decided that she was going to help raise some money to find a cure. She got some girlfriends together, had a cocktail party and that was the beginning of JDRF (Juvenile Diabetes Research Fund).

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_jiLUJkDgJc]

Today, Lee’s organization has raised over $1.5billion dollars for research to end this horrid disease. In her words, she started this because “A passionate hope that there is a cure out there.”

That is Charity that Matters.

Copyright © 2011 Charity Matters. This article may not be reproduced without explicit written permission; if you are not reading this in your newsreader, the site you are viewing is illegally infringing our copyright. We would be grateful if you contact us.


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Cancer

Blood Cancer

With the arrival of Halloween comes all the blood and horror. While we all love to get ghoulish this time of year, the scary reality for many is that blood cancer or leukemia is a living nightmare for approximately  40,000 people each year. There is nothing more terrifying than trying to save someone you love who has been diagnosed with blood cancer.

In 1990 when Katherina Harf’s mother was diagnosed with blood cancer there were only 3,000 people world-wide registered for bone marrow transplants. Katrina’s father, Peter Harf worked tirelessly to save his wife and had 68,000 people register in one year alone. After losing her mom at 14, Katherina and her father decided to start DKMS.

The DKMS mission is to save lives by recruiting bone marrow donors for leukemia patients.

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bbXtC4iUmyA]

DKMS is the largest bone marrow donor center in the world. DKMS donors have provided marrow and stem cells (PBSC) for more than 27,000 transplants and now has over 2.9 million registered bone marrow donors.

Katherina was recently asked the most important thing she has learned in her journey to help others and her answer was, “Passion can move mountains and human kindness has no limits.” Now that is taking something scary and making it something beautiful.

Charity Matters.

Copyright © 2011 Charity Matters. This article may not be reproduced without explicit written permission; if you are not reading this in your newsreader, the site you are viewing is illegally infringing our copyright. We would be grateful if you contact us.


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Cancer

I’m Going to Love You through It

Sometimes, there are just not words….when someone you love is sick and diagnosed with breast cancer.

I think this just says it all.

Remember to love those through it.

Copyright © 2011 Charity Matters. This article may not be reproduced without explicit written permission; if you are not reading this in your newsreader, the site you are viewing is illegally infringing our copyright. We would be grateful if you contact us.

 
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Cancer

LiveStrong

I’m married to a cyclist, a crazy passionate cyclist. He not only loves cycling but also Lance Armstrong. As a result, I have read Lance Armstrong’s book, It’s Not About the Bike, I spend the month of July every year waking to the Tour de France, I have washed countless loads of spandex cycling clothing and I have even been to Paris to watch Lance Armstrong win his fifth Tour de France.

Lance is a hero in our house. My sons love him and he is an American hero. His heroism is more about his fight with cancer than about his cycling. He is a man who just refuses to give up.  This past Sunday, Oct. 2nd,  was the 15th anniversary of Lance Armstrong’s cancer diagnosis.

He has taken his story, his suffering and created an example for fighting this disease and inspiring thousands of others to join him.  Lance’s LiveStrong Foundation has changed lives and the term Live Strong has become a part of our everyday vocabulary.

 

Ultimately, a real hero is someone who makes a difference. That is exactly what Lance Armstrong has done.

Copyright © 2011 Charity Matters. This article may not be reproduced without explicit written permission; if you are not reading this in your newsreader, the site you are viewing is illegally infringing our copyright. We would be grateful if you contact us.

 
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Cancer

Gabby Krause

Time and again I am inspired by those who take adversity and turn it into something beautiful. Kindness never gets old and always seems to multiply once it is delivered. A perfect example of this is Tammy Krause.

Tammy lost her 6-year-old daughter, Gabby, in September 2004 to brain cancer after a 19-month long battle. In her loss, she was determined to honor her daughter’s legacy in a meaningful way. Gabby always brought her “Bag of Fun” to the hospital for her chemo treatments. It was her wish that other children should have them too. As a result, the Gabby Krause Foundation was launched by her family.

Gabby Krause has been gone for 7 years now but her legacy has delivered thousands and thousands of sick children bags of fun.

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