Ronee and I were so thrilled to hear from Meg McElroy letting us know that she was donating the funds from her annual NYC Accidental Fundraiser to Justin’s Smile held in New York City. Meg and her friends raised $10,550 for our foundation. We met Meg at a meeting with the Children’s Cancer Research Fund and it turns out she is an 8th grade teacher (the grade Justin would have been in). We are so thrilled at what amazing work Meg has done. Here is her note to her friends.
Well, you did it, and then some – a new, staggering record and amount that I can’t begin to process (especially on so little sleep).
How thrilled I am to be able to tell Justin Cowen’s family that Justin’s Smile will be receiving $10,550 on behalf of all of YOU. How much it excites me to think that the researcher who blew my mind in October will be able to take that money and make even more progress in his crusade against osteosarcoma. How proud and humbled I am to call you my friends.
That’s $46,698 overall, and $42,048 for CCRF alone over the 10 years. The Accidental Fundraiser has really become quite a thing, no? Just look at how she’s grown. I hardly recognize her.
The names on the fundraising page this morning overwhelm me. Some of these people are my closest friends and my family; some are people I haven’t seen in decades and others I’ve met only recently; some are people who reacted to certain posts on Facebook and gave more than once this year alone; some are people who reached out through text, email, or Facebook just moments after donating to either encourage me to keep going or even thank me for “letting” them help; some are fist time donors – which is going to be what keeps this whole thing growing – but many are people who’ve NEVER missed a year since whenever they were first asked – and that is what will keep this all alive.
In lieu of their own names, some donors posted names of people who’ve died from cancer; some are names of children who’ve battled, are battling, or have died from this insidious disease. Oh, these names
Each year, I’m asked why I do this – sometimes as an open ended question, sometimes with several follow up questions. I’ve never really had a straight answer, even after all these years. They say when you have your health, you have everything – and that’s something many of us have been reminded of in any number of ways. But when you’re lucky enough to have kids in your life who continue to bless and change your life, it’s their health that truly comes to mean everything to you.
For me, the only thing more magical than Christmas, is childhood.
Thank you for agreeing with me.
Until next time – may your heart be light
And Merry, Merry Christmas.
