Our Foundation Grows

I think this is the longest I have gone between postings. There have been so many times that I wanted to write, but just never made it a priority for one reason or another.

The last couple weeks have given me a lot of time to sit and think about the things that I want to share. On March 24 I tripped on a rock while running and fell and broke and sprained my ankle. I have been in a cast and on crutches for just over 2 weeks and have had a lot of time to sit and reflect. (Something that I don’t do often enough.)

In addition to the broken ankle, my orthopedic surgeon saw something “abnormal” on the x-ray and ordered an MRI. He assured me this was precautionary and that he didn’t think it was anything serious. Being a good patient, I had the MRI. I hadn’t seen (or heard) an MRI machine since Sophie was sick and the whole experience brought back many memories. Memories of the multiple times I placed my Sophie girl (who was still holding onto my neck for dear life) onto the table and then witnessed her be sedated, go limp and then strapped down.

Not a day goes by that I don’t think of Sophie and the suffering she endured. I am haunted by the physical limitations she experienced in the last month of her life and I often “see” her sitting on the couch reaching her arm out to me as I close my eyes to sleep. Although the physical pain is not fun, the emotional frustration has been worse. And as hard and frustrating as it is to crutch around and not be able to do things like I used to, I am keenly aware of how my feelings pale in comparison to the frustration that Sophie must have felt, and she rarely complained. So I suck it up and try not to complain too much while here we are, 2 and a half years after Sophie’s death, and her fight continues to give me motivation to move forward and appreciate the good things in life while taking the bad with the attitude that “it could be worse” and believe me, I know that it could.

Many of you have received our 2010 Annual Appeal, and have responded generously with your donations. And for that, we are so very grateful. Our foundation continues to grow and our financial need continues to grow with it. Kids continue to be diagnosed, and our Foundation’s name is making its way into the offices of social workers across the country. To date, we have awarded over $100,000 towards meeting our mission. We have dedicated $22,000 of it towards research and $10,000 of it to St. Jude. The rest has gone to families in need and we continue to receive applications for financial assistance almost daily. Our marketing committee worked together to create an appeal that explains what we are doing and why we need your help. If you didn’t receive one, you can view it on our new website: http://smilesforsophieforever.org/in-the-news

Speaking of our new website, I want to take a moment to thank my sister who worked very closely with our web designer Omar Trevino of Dios Designs to create the new site. Our goal was to make a site that was user friendly and informative for families looking for assistance as well as for our supporters and potential donors. I think the site turned out really great, and we are continuing to add to it each day. We welcome your feedback and comments. Feel free to use the “contact us” form on the site to let us know your thoughts.

On our website you will find information about our upcoming events. Spring and summer are our busy times when it comes to fundraisers and we are in full swing planning the events which are so vital to the success of our organization.

We would love for you to join us at our upcoming fundraisers. Currently we are taking registrations for our Mother’s Day/Brain Tumor Awareness Month Brunch on May 9 in Avon, Ohio as well as for our 3rd Annual Bash and Dash on July 4 in Avon Lake, Ohio. Please visit the “Upcoming Events” section of our website to register.

Michelle Polinko is our VP of fundraising and she would be glad to answer any questions you may have about these events. We are looking for corporate sponsorships as well as gift in kind items to be used for our raffle and/or silent auction. If you could help us in this area, we would greatly appreciate it. You can contact Michelle at michelle@smilesforsophieforever.org

Additionally, we are in the planning stages of our 4th Annual Golf Outing to be held in Grand Blanc, MI on June 28. Be on the look out for more information in the near future.

I promise it won’t be this long until you hear from me again, as we have many exciting things in the works. Our next Smiles for the Season newsletter will be in your inboxes by the end of the month. Until then, thank you for your continued support and for joining us in the fight against brain cancer. Your support goes a long way in helping us make a difference. Be well, be blessed and be grateful.