Everything's Okay

Your Sick Child Wants to Feel Normal: Here’s How to Help Them

admin — Fri, 18 May 2012 08:00:44 +0000

At age seven, I was diagnosed with colon cancer. A scary reality hit my parents like a ton of bricks. How are we going to protect our baby girl? What types of walls or shelter do we need to create so that she can survive this cancer and be well again? I can only imagine the thoughts that went through my parents’ minds as I endured six major surgeries throughout my childhood years—and then several minor ones decades after the cancer had been removed. They were going to build a fort to protect me. And until I was healthy again, they wouldn’t let anything else or anyone else harm me.

Click Here to Read Alesia’s Entire Article

Dealing with Childhood Illness: 7 Ways to Invite Hope into a Seemingly Hopeless Situation

admin — Wed, 16 May 2012 08:00:14 +0000

Every year, thousands of children are diagnosed with catastrophic illnesses—illnesses that affect not only them, but the entire family. I would know: When I was seven years old, I was diagnosed with colon cancer. It was, and still is, a very rare disease for someone that age. I spent most of the next several years in the hospital, and endured six major surgeries and several minor ones—even decades after the cancer was in remission…

To read the rest of Alesia’s article, click here.

Dealing with Childhood Illness: Social Networking Can Provide Relief

admin — Mon, 14 May 2012 08:00:57 +0000

According to the National Cancer Institute, more than 10,000 children under the age of 15 were diagnosed with cancer in 2007, making it the deadliest disease among U.S. children in that age group.

I was diagnosed with colon cancer at age seven and spent most of my childhood in and out of hospitals, enduring six major surgeries and several minor ones decades after the cancer was in remission. If you are reading this article because your child has been diagnosed with a similarly devastating disease, then you are aware of the startling statistics. Every day, you hope that doctors will find a cause and a cure. Caregiving has taken over your life and that of your family’s. And although you are not alone in your plight, you probably feel like you are.

Click Here to Read Alesia’s Entire Article

The Tipping Point: How To Keep it Together When You’re at the Edge

admin — Fri, 11 May 2012 17:50:52 +0000

Over the course of my 40-plus years, I have been at the edge many times. As a child who battled cancer, I didn’t exactly know I was trying so hard to keep it together, but there certainly were times when I just wanted to give up fighting and simply be a “normal” kid. As a cancer survivor who continued to have trouble and trauma well into my 20s and 30s, I now know how close to the edge I can get and can only imagine how my parents felt taking care of me as a child. But in situations like mine—and that of my parents—we had two choices: to either keep it together—or not. It’s that simple. Amazingly, when you keep it together, you project a positive vibe that people want to be around. When you “lose it” (so to speak) and constantly drone on about all the trouble in your life (whether you or someone you are caring for is sick or not), you push people away. Taking on life with a glass half-full perspective is much more rewarding then bringing yourself—and others—down with a half-empty outlook.

Click here to read Alesia’s Entire Article!

Thought for Today…

admin — Thu, 10 May 2012 00:52:53 +0000

“Although the world is full of suffering, it is also full of the overcoming of it.” – Helen Keller

Keeping Up with Alesia

admin — Mon, 07 May 2012 07:00:32 +0000

Have you had a chance to sign up to receive the monthly Everything’s Okay newsletter? Each month, I send out a brief update about what I’ve been up to, and activities that my Foundation and I are working on. It’s a great way to find out how you can get involved in the community and make a difference in the lives of others.

Visit my website and click the Everything’s Okay Newsletter link to sign-up and let’s continue working together to make our world a better place!

Do What You Can

admin — Fri, 04 May 2012 13:31:13 +0000

It is the greatest of all mistakes to do nothing because you can only do little – do what you can. ~Sydney Smith

What can YOU do today to make a difference and help others?

An Inspiration to Others

admin — Wed, 02 May 2012 07:00:29 +0000

I met another volunteer at the CHOP Volunteer conference a few weeks ago and was yet again moved by his story. This gentlemen was asked to speak on behalf of the volunteers and share his story. He had sold his business and decided that he needed to do something worthy with his extra time, and so for the past eleven years, he has visited CHOP once a week to read to the children, keep them company, often giving their parents a well deserved break, or spending time with those who may not have many visitors for one reason or another.

He was explaining how good it is for both the child to have company, as well as leaving the parents with a sense of peace knowing someone will be there for their child at the times they cannot be there. He was very humble and spoke so well that there was not a sound in the room for the full 30 minutes. The one thing that I was even more touched by is that this gentlemen was paralyzed from what I could see from the neck down, with a little movement in his arms. He only mentioned his disability once explaining that after the first few years of volunteering he had an unfortunate accident. Nine months later he was back at CHOP volunteering, this time in a wheelchair.

You can imagine how moving this was to all who had the privilege of hearing him speak. Although he had this extreme disability, his commitment to get back to and focus on those he felt really needed help was the most important thing to him and he felt rewarded by those he had the chance to meet. It was a truly inspiring experience, and a true reminder to me of why I do what I do, and just how much each person can make a difference.

Survival and Triumph- Inspiration to Others

admin — Mon, 30 Apr 2012 13:05:15 +0000

I met an amazing young man at the CHOP Volunteer Summit the other day. He was around 22 years old and was one of the speakers at this event and shared with us that he was born with sickle cell. As an infant, he appeared to be normal for the first few weeks of life, but then something terrible happened, changing his life as well as his families forever. Diagnosed with this painfully debilitating disease, he has undergone painful surgeries, and has grown up living life completely different that what his mother originally planned.

He is now a volunteer, as well as a survivor, who speaks when invited and each time manages to humble everyone to silence. I went over to meet him after he spoke, since I felt we both had so much in common and probably a lot to share. He was gracious, kind, and I felt as if I had met my “other self”. We have walked the same mile in all of those other children’s shoes and we know what the journey is like. I gave him my card and asked him to take a look at what I do. I told him I would be in touch and that I would hope to inspire him to write his story as well. Maybe someday you all will get to meet this fine young man and hear his inspiring words of survival and triumph. I know that I am a changed person because I had the chance.

Keeping Life in Check

admin — Fri, 27 Apr 2012 13:41:40 +0000

I am on Facebook often, posting and reading posts from others almost daily on both my author page and my personal page, as well as Twitter. I read all of the posts my friends put up and try to respond to those I can when I have to time. I answer emails everyday and visit websites people suggest, in hopes that I can read and keep up with all that I can.

I have to ask though, how do you all keep life in check? Each day we are faced with decisions, and some are easier than others to make. I adore my family and love to try to “do it all” , but I have to admit that there are days I struggle to keep it all together and wonder if anyone else gets like that at times.

I find it hard to believe that everyone does not feel the ups and downs of life in general, in fact, I’m convinced that is exactly what makes us human. I am asking that you share your turmiols as well as your strengths and maybe some tricks to overcome some of those daily struggles you face, in hopes of helping others! I hope you have some time to enjoy this weekend, take a deep breath, and relax!