Last night our friend, Martin Blaisdell, passed away. He had medulloblastoma like Victoria. He fought for a long time. Martin tried all of the treatments we were not able to try. Some worked for a little while. After fighting for 10 years, there was nothing to help him either. It's so unfair.
Martin was a wonderful guy who touched many lives. Please keep his family in your prayers. www.caringbridge.org/ga/martinblaisdell The Blaisdells are now beginning a new difficult journey and will need alot of support. Thank you for your prayers for this family.
Friday, May 30, 2008
Friday, May 23, 2008
Victoria's Kids Update
Ronnie's JV golf team went undefeated for the season and won the Region Title for JV golf. Ronnie was awarded the Most Improved Player Award at the sports assembly. Everyone says he has a great golf swing. He plans to play golf every day this summer. (Krista & Travis are upset that they have to get jobs! while Ronnie works on his "career".)
Travis has been traveling playing paintball. He recently went to Jacksonville, FL to help set up the fields for the National Professional Paintball League event that was held there last weekend. He was excited that he got to miss school for 2 days to do this. It was a great learning experience for him. He got to see how these national events are put on from the ground up.
He was even more excited when he & some of his teammeates were invited to play in the NPPL event and almost made it to the finals. They were so close. They were disappointed that they missed finals by such a small amount, but they were still very pleased with being so close. This was their 1st NPPL event. They didn't even get to practice and still almost made it to finals. They did pretty good. This weekend Travis & some of his teammates will be traveling to Chattanooga, TN to play in a different seires: the CFOA 5-man event on Sunday.
Krista has been job hunting. She has applied at 2 vets offices and 1 pet store. Most places are waiting for their summer help to get their summer school schedules so they will know if they need to rehire or not. She's going to apply at some more places next week.
Krista won the Academic Acheivement Award for Physical Science for 10th grade at the Honor's Program Wednesday. Her teacher bragged on her that she always has her work and always shows her work- a math & science teacher's dream. We are very proud of her. She works hard. Of course she was completely embarrassed that she had to walk up on stage in front of everyone, and she turned as red as a tomatoe and wanted to act like it was no big deal to have won, but we all saw her smile and know she was secretly proud of herself.
Thanks for checking in on Victoria's kids.
Travis has been traveling playing paintball. He recently went to Jacksonville, FL to help set up the fields for the National Professional Paintball League event that was held there last weekend. He was excited that he got to miss school for 2 days to do this. It was a great learning experience for him. He got to see how these national events are put on from the ground up.
He was even more excited when he & some of his teammeates were invited to play in the NPPL event and almost made it to the finals. They were so close. They were disappointed that they missed finals by such a small amount, but they were still very pleased with being so close. This was their 1st NPPL event. They didn't even get to practice and still almost made it to finals. They did pretty good. This weekend Travis & some of his teammates will be traveling to Chattanooga, TN to play in a different seires: the CFOA 5-man event on Sunday.
Krista has been job hunting. She has applied at 2 vets offices and 1 pet store. Most places are waiting for their summer help to get their summer school schedules so they will know if they need to rehire or not. She's going to apply at some more places next week.
Krista won the Academic Acheivement Award for Physical Science for 10th grade at the Honor's Program Wednesday. Her teacher bragged on her that she always has her work and always shows her work- a math & science teacher's dream. We are very proud of her. She works hard. Of course she was completely embarrassed that she had to walk up on stage in front of everyone, and she turned as red as a tomatoe and wanted to act like it was no big deal to have won, but we all saw her smile and know she was secretly proud of herself.
Thanks for checking in on Victoria's kids.
Wednesday, May 14, 2008
Blood Drive May 15th
There will be a Red Cross Blood Drive
TOMORROW, May 15th
from 12pm -5pm at
Langdale Forest Products Company
1202 Madison Hwy
Valdosta, GA
Please give if you are able. If you can't make it Thursday, the info about the Valwood Blood Drive on Friday is on the post below.
TOMORROW, May 15th
from 12pm -5pm at
Langdale Forest Products Company
1202 Madison Hwy
Valdosta, GA
Please give if you are able. If you can't make it Thursday, the info about the Valwood Blood Drive on Friday is on the post below.
Monday, May 12, 2008
Blood Drive
Red Cross Blood Drive at Valwood
Friday, May 16
8:00 am – 2:00 pm
Eager Sports Center
Please donate a pint of blood this Friday. There is a critical blood shortage across the country, and specifically in Georgia. The Southern Region uses 1,200 pints of blood daily. Due to low donations rates our region has to import 45,000 units of blood every year to meet our needs. Donating a pint is quick, virtually painless, and can save up to three lives. Schedule an appointment by calling or e-mailing Chuck Glassmire: (229)242-8491 or cglassmire@valwood.org . Walk-ins are also welcome. We hope to have a big turnout at this drive, and we need your help.
You’ll want blood available for your family when they need it…so please give now!
I can't tell you how scary it is to need blood and not have it. Too many people take for granted that it's just there when you need it. Several times we had to wait for blood and platelets to be flown in from other states because there was none available. Many people depend on blood products to live each week. It's not just for emergencies or surgeries. Please give if you are able. You must be at least 17 years old and weigh at least 110 pounds. If you are not sure if you are able to give due to health concerns or medication you may be taking, please call 1-800-GIVE LIFE (800-448-3543)and they can answer any questions you have. Thank you so much for helping with this worthwhile cause.
Friday, May 16
8:00 am – 2:00 pm
Eager Sports Center
Please donate a pint of blood this Friday. There is a critical blood shortage across the country, and specifically in Georgia. The Southern Region uses 1,200 pints of blood daily. Due to low donations rates our region has to import 45,000 units of blood every year to meet our needs. Donating a pint is quick, virtually painless, and can save up to three lives. Schedule an appointment by calling or e-mailing Chuck Glassmire: (229)242-8491 or cglassmire@valwood.org . Walk-ins are also welcome. We hope to have a big turnout at this drive, and we need your help.
You’ll want blood available for your family when they need it…so please give now!
I can't tell you how scary it is to need blood and not have it. Too many people take for granted that it's just there when you need it. Several times we had to wait for blood and platelets to be flown in from other states because there was none available. Many people depend on blood products to live each week. It's not just for emergencies or surgeries. Please give if you are able. You must be at least 17 years old and weigh at least 110 pounds. If you are not sure if you are able to give due to health concerns or medication you may be taking, please call 1-800-GIVE LIFE (800-448-3543)and they can answer any questions you have. Thank you so much for helping with this worthwhile cause.
Wednesday, May 7, 2008
Prayers Needed
We have added a new friend to our list. Please pray for the Culpepper family. Little Olivia has leukemia and is preparing for transplant. They have had many obstacles to overcome recently and could really use alot of support. Please pray that they are being led in the right direction to help Olivia stay in remission and be cured. Her link is to the right.
Also please pray for Cindy (the mom). Caring for a sick child 24 hours a day and trying to fight for the treatment they need is exhausting mentally, physically, & emotionally. Please pray for her strength as she continues to fight for Olivia.
There are also 2 siblings and a dad at home. They are left behind as Cindy & Olivia travel for treatment. It's hard on the ones at home. They often need things but have to wait. They have to help pick up the slack around the house & often have to grow up too fast. The ones at home need a great deal of support too. It's hard to stay behind & wait to hear what's going on. It's hard to go on with life when your sibiling is so ill.
I remember so many times taking Travis, Ronnie & Krista to school & not being able to tell them that I would be there at 3:15 to pick them up. I just never knew if I would be there. So often we had to leave in an emergency situation & would be back in Atlanta before the kids were even at lunch that day. They had to put up with alot. And for the most part they didn't complain. Of course they didn't like it, but they knew we couldn't help it. It wasn't easy for them. We were very lucky to have had so much support from our Valwood School family.
Yesterday was the 2 1/2 year mark since Victoria died. It still just doesn't seem possible. It seems like just yesterday that I was right where Cindy is now. Fighting every minute of every day, searching for anything, anyone to help. It's so unfair that children have to go through things like this.
I am going to Washington, D.C. for the Reach the Day campaign in June. (visit http://www.curesearch.org/ for info) There we will get to meet with lawmakers and express our concerns for funding of childhood cancer research. I am also attending an event in September in Wilmington, Deleware. It's a childhood cancer awareness & education symposium. Many top researchers from around the country will be there. Please remember to write to your Representatives and ask them to co-sponsor the Conquer Childhood Cancer Act.
Thank you for your prayers for Olivia and her family.
Also please pray for Cindy (the mom). Caring for a sick child 24 hours a day and trying to fight for the treatment they need is exhausting mentally, physically, & emotionally. Please pray for her strength as she continues to fight for Olivia.
There are also 2 siblings and a dad at home. They are left behind as Cindy & Olivia travel for treatment. It's hard on the ones at home. They often need things but have to wait. They have to help pick up the slack around the house & often have to grow up too fast. The ones at home need a great deal of support too. It's hard to stay behind & wait to hear what's going on. It's hard to go on with life when your sibiling is so ill.
I remember so many times taking Travis, Ronnie & Krista to school & not being able to tell them that I would be there at 3:15 to pick them up. I just never knew if I would be there. So often we had to leave in an emergency situation & would be back in Atlanta before the kids were even at lunch that day. They had to put up with alot. And for the most part they didn't complain. Of course they didn't like it, but they knew we couldn't help it. It wasn't easy for them. We were very lucky to have had so much support from our Valwood School family.
Yesterday was the 2 1/2 year mark since Victoria died. It still just doesn't seem possible. It seems like just yesterday that I was right where Cindy is now. Fighting every minute of every day, searching for anything, anyone to help. It's so unfair that children have to go through things like this.
I am going to Washington, D.C. for the Reach the Day campaign in June. (visit http://www.curesearch.org/ for info) There we will get to meet with lawmakers and express our concerns for funding of childhood cancer research. I am also attending an event in September in Wilmington, Deleware. It's a childhood cancer awareness & education symposium. Many top researchers from around the country will be there. Please remember to write to your Representatives and ask them to co-sponsor the Conquer Childhood Cancer Act.
Thank you for your prayers for Olivia and her family.
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