In Loving Memory:
Gage Dole (February 14th 2011)


6 years ago three little kiddos, Gage, Josh and Rebekah started the Ewings Sarcoma battle together. All about the same age, all at the same hospital, all about the same time. Until today, all three had survived.

Off all of them Gage and his family have been through the worst of it. Joshie has a trach and Rebekah is brain damaged but each of their parents still get to hold them tonight. Lauren and Trux don't get to hold their little angel any more.

Other than sharing such a horrible experience together we were not that close to Gage's family but nonetheless this strikes us hard. Our prayers and thoughts go out to Gage's family. Please share yours as well.

Gage's Blog



The beautiful white rose that has touched so many of us in so many ways is by and used with permission from Australian photographer Lisa Hocking. Please see her blog and thank her for its use.

In Loving Memory:
Austin Winters (September 18th 2008)
A Very Short 10 Years

Austin was one of the honored children, along with Rebekah, for this year's Candlelighters Ride For A Child fundraser. The ride finished on September 13th, Austin died 5 days later. From Austin's local paper: An artist and friend met with Austin 3 days before his death: "The boy drifted in and out, but roused himself for a 20-minute conversation about heaven. Together, they dreamed of a place with sunny skies and plenty of open roads to ride motorcycles. This heavenly place, they decided, has no laws against speeding and bikers don't have to wear helmets." Read the whole story here.

It is very difficult for all of us who have similarly situated children. On one hand it slams our childrens' issues into our faces. It makes us face the fact that the odds are greater than not that we will have to deal with this too; we don't know if it will be tomorrow, next week, next month, or ??? It makes us do things parents should never EVER have to do like thing about their own child's funeral. And then on the other hand it makes us realize how lucky and special we are that we get one more day with our kiddo.

Either way we feel guilty. We feel guilty for rejoicing when there are others experiencing such loss. And we feel guilty for feeling "bad" when we still are blessed with the life of our little one.

As has often been said, it is not right, IT IS JUST NOT RIGHT.

The beautiful white rose that has touched so many of us in so many ways is by and used with permission from Australian photographer Lisa Hocking. Please see her blog and thank her for its use.

In Loving Memory of Boey

Jenessa Nicole Byers (Boey), another sarcoma little one close to us lost her battle Thursday evening. Many of the world saw her and her family in October on Extreme Home Makeover.

Another mom described Boey in a wonderful way when she said:

Boey indeed heard the words ‘Well done, my good and faithful servant’ when she entered heaven (Matthew 25:21 NLT).

For those of you who didn't know Boey, she was only 8 and her bracelet says Cure Pediatric Cancer. In honor of Boey, I want to remind you of the Conquer Childhood Cancer Act Bill and how Boey made such a HUGE impact on Congress. There were 7 senators signed on to the bill before Senator Wyden spoke about Boey’s battle before Congress in Washington D.C on June 4th, 2007. Now there are 46 senators signed on! There are 176 cosponsors in the house (out of 435 members). You can find out more about this bill by clicking HERE.

Thank you Boey, for everything you have done to find a cure for cancer. You lived a life of significance and through the Lord, you are now healed in heaven.

If you would like to leave a word of encouragement to her family please do so at their web site/blog:Jenessa Nicole Byers (Boey) It would be nice if you let them know you came from Rebekah's Page.

The beautiful white rose that has touched so many of us in so many ways is by and used with permission from Australian photographer Lisa Hocking. Please see her blog and thank her for its use.

Another loss and more breaking hearts

Once again, our lives are put into perspective. Josh's mom has talked about a young lady (12 years old) at her church who was diagnosed with cancer this past May with an inoperable brain tumor. I have watched her site periodically and been praying for her. Her name is Labri Dirske.

Today, she lost her battle. She is now in heaven and cancer free, but her family is mourning. Please keep her family in your prayers. And give your kids an extra hug tonight and let them know how much you love them and appreciate them. Check out Labri's page and sign her guestbook to let her family know you are thinking of them and praying for them.

The beautiful white rose that has touched so many of us in so many ways is by and used with permission from Australian photographer Lisa Hocking. Please see her blog and thank her for its use.

Way too close...

In Loving Memory of Angela O'Laskey

Way too close together to our last White Rose. Angela was a 14 year old diagnosed with Ewings (the same type of cancer as Rebekah) in January of this year. In March she found Rebekah's site and posted the following comment:

i was just diagnosed with ewings sarcoma 3 months ago it is in my leg and neck i am very scared i am 14 the blogs that i wrote were some of the most inspiring pieces i have read if you had time i wold like to write to you my email is mrpkhommie2@yahoo.com
sincerly
Angela O'Laskey

After that post, mommy and daddy shared some very inspiring emails with Angela and then they dropped off. We had not heard anything about her until today. She died 2 days ago. This was an extreme shock to us as she has been in the back of our mind ever since March.

Particularly touching to us today was a quote in the Rochester Democrat and Chronicle by staff writer Meaghan M. McDermott. In this article about Angela, she wrote "On Sept. 22, schoolmates and others from the community made Angela "Queen for a Day" and held a special prom just for her and her friends."
8 days later Angela was gone. We can only pray that Rebekah is able to grow up to be as beautiful a lady as Angela and gets to attend her "prom."

Please lift up your prayers and continue to support these families and groups supporting them and kiddo cancer research. Enough is enough.

The beautiful white rose that has touched so many of us in so many ways is by and used with permission from Australian photographer Lisa Hocking Please see her blog and thank her for its use.

In Loving Memory of Baby Lexie.

No words that I can think of could replace those of a mommy who has just lost her little girl:

"God took my baby home at 6:00 pm this evening. I really don't know what to say, so I won't say much. I want you all to know that she passed away very quickly and peacefully. She took 2 deep breaths and was taken home to be with her grandmas, grandpas, friends, and aunts, uncles, and all the wonder that awaits in glorious Heaven.

My angel is now in Heaven. Wow. I know that she is in peace, but Good Lord, it hurts to know that she won't be snuggled in my arms as we sleep tonight. That's my favorite part of the day. Holding her on me while we slept and well, holding her all the time really. Hee!

Believing,
Robyn"

Our hearts and prayers are with you Robyn and Chris and we know that Lexie is rejoicing with her family that have gone before her as well as with all the other kiddo angels also there with God.

The beautiful white rose that has touched so many of us in so many ways is by and used with permission from Australian photographer Lisa Hocking Please see her blog and thank her for its use.

In Loving Memory ...

of Rachel Lynn Hansen (April 20, 2000 - June 8, 2007)

Please keep the Hansen family (mom Jodi, dad Mark, big brothers Lance and Blake) in your prayers. Rachel lost her many year battle with Ewing's Sarcoma today. We can only imagine what the family is going through right now. Our heart it breaking for them.

Edited to Add: This is particularly difficult for us too because Rachel and her Mommy and Daddy have been our hope and inspiration. We have looked up to them for their fight and their ability to go beyond, far beyond, what the doctors have told us could ever be possible. Please check her site and, if appropriate for you please add to her guestbook.

For right now there are a couple of things in their post today that jumped out and we wanted to share here: (Please see their who post at the link above or to the right.)

"And so I write one more journal entry that I never thought I'd have to write. As I sit here with tears streaming down my face, I wonder how so many of us misinterpreted our "promises" from God. We are thankful for all of the angels that filled our home and gave Rachel peace. We truly feel that Rachel wasn't telling us the full story about what the angels were telling her. Her and the angels had secrets. I guess that's okay because what would we have done with the information?
...
Rachel is perfect and whole. Rachel will never again endure any pain. Rachel is with our Lord Jesus Christ and with her Nana Eide and her Papa Hansen. We are thankful that they were there to guide her passing into the next dimension. We're pretty positive that Rachel went running into their arms and once she saw how beautiful it was there, she chose not to come back. We can't say we blame her."

The beautiful white rose that has touched so many of us in so many ways is by and used with permission from Australian photographer Lisa Hocking Please see her blog and thank her for its use.

End of Chemo Party Tonight / A Loss

It has been an emotionally filled day and Rebekah and all of us are very much looking forward to Rebekah's end of chemo party tonight even if it will be a bit subdued.

Words are difficult. While we are happy for where we are, it is very difficult to rejoice when others are having so much sorrow. Another chemo friend passed today and our hearts and prayers are with her family. For the tear in our eye and the little buttefly:

In Loving Memory

The beautiful white rose that has touched so many of us in so many ways is by and used with permission from Australian photographer Lisa Hocking Please see her blog and thank her for its use.

In Loving Memory...

of Maggie May Williams. This has obviously been a difficult evening for many whose hearts have been stolen by this beautiful little girl. To Quote her own site: "She was surrounded by family, just like the day she was born, and she went very peacefully. A traditional memorial service for adults only is being planned, as well as a special children's service."

At 5:20 this evening a very strong need to find a "white rose" came over me. I knew what it was for, just not when. Then, an hour later, we received a phone call telling us of the loss of Maggie at the very same time I felt this need. I went and held Rebekah and cried and then came back here to share with you. Out of respect for Maggie's family, all I could post was this beautiful rose until her family chose to make a public announcement which they have now done. This blog is about sharing our joys and our sorrows. This has been one of the most sorrowful days.

The beautiful white rose that has touched so many of us in so many ways is by and used with permission from Australian photographer Lisa Hocking Please see her blog and thank her for its use.