Every September, I donate all 512 Pixels revenue to highlight and raise money for a cause that is very close to my heart: St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.
September is National Childhood Cancer Awareness Month.
It’s a month that is of vital importance to my family. As some of you may know, our oldest son was diagnosed in May 2009 with a malignant brain tumor. In the blink of an eye, we went from a young family with a seemingly-healthy six month old baby to a young family facing the reality that our son was gravely sick.
Today, our son is in third grade. This week, he’s had library and computer class at school, run through the sprinklers with his two younger siblings and has forgotten to clean up his room before dinner as requested.
That may just sound like another September to you, but to my wife Merri and I, it’s nothing short of a miracle.
His particular type of brain cancer is rare in children, and almost unheard of in infants. To beat it — to save his life — would take the very best science and medicine had to offer. Thank God for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.
I mean, just read this mission statement:
The mission of St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital is to advance cures, and means of prevention, for pediatric catastrophic diseases through research and treatment. Consistent with the vision of our founder Danny Thomas, no child is denied treatment based on race, religion or a family’s ability to pay.
I’d love if you would donate today to St. Jude’s live-saving work.
At St. Jude, Josiah battled through 18 rounds of chemotherapy, several operations, rehabilitative services and more. His cancer hasn’t grown since treatment ended, and the hope is that it simply never grows again. So far, that’s been the case. All of this care was provided for free thanks to supporters of St. Jude.
We’re thankful that we get many more days with our child than some of our friends have had with theirs. Childhood cancer is a fucking black eye on all of our humanity.
Josiah turns ten years old in November. To honor his birthday, and the amazing care he has been given at St. Jude, my goal is to raise $20,000 this month for the hospital — a symbolic $2,000 for every year.
For the last two years, Josiah and his sister Allison took part of St. Jude Race Weekend, each completing the Kids Marathon.
This year, our youngest son Jude will be participating as well, and the kids have asked that Merri and I run with them. Together, as a complete family, we’ll run their final mile through downtown Memphis.
In doing so, we take an active part in caring for our “St. Jude friends,” and will spend time talking about and remembering the friends who didn’t win their fight against this terrible foe. Please help us reach our goal again this year, and as is true each September, we are deeply humbled and thankful for the support this nerdy community continues to show our family and St. Jude.