Dear Reader,
My daughter Carson was all about the bling, all the time. She was spunky and witty. She was all things tutus, tiaras, and anything that was pink and purple and had a lot of sparkle. Carson was diagnosed with osteosarcoma the day before she turned 8.
It was bone cancer. We were immediately referred to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, where she fought osteosarcoma until the day she passed away at 9 years and 3 months. Her journey is now over, and it was way too short. I don’t want any family to have to go through that, because that’s not fair.
An acquaintance gave my husband and I a large carving of a water drop. When he gave it to us he said, “I just want you to know that Carson’s been gone a few years, but she’s still touching people.”
She is the one drop that has rippled out and continues to touch people. Before she passed away, Carson had $128.56 in her piggy bank. She wanted that money to go to St. Jude. She said, “My money may find the end to cancer.” I think that’s what children teach us. And so I will forever be supporting St. Jude.
Everyone who contributes to the mission of St. Jude is the one drop. That one drop donation can then ripple out, and it touches all the kids of St. Jude. Your drop matters.
I’ve always felt that St. Jude would be the one to find the cure for childhood cancer because they do so much research and they don’t give up hope. That’s what St. Jude is to me, even today after losing a child. It’s still about the hope of tomorrow.
With gratitude and determination,
Paula
