Hello. Well, I am back from my trip to Houston. There is nothing quite like making a 9 hour round trip in the car. Unfortunately, I came home to a sick son and a hail storm. That was not exactly what I was looking for. I guess you could say that Graham was under the weather in more ways than one. Not 15 minutes before the hailstorm he was spewing grossness across our bedroom floor. Was that a clear enough picture for you? I was hoping that sharing my disgust would make things better - apparently not. Now we are just both disgusted and I don't feel any better. Regardless, I will be glad when he is back to his normally twerpful self like below.
As for me, well, I am right in the midst of a flurry of business. Yesterday, I was in Houston presenting information about the 2008 Neuroblastoma Conference for Families and Caregivers. Today I will be going to the Wipe Out Kids Cancer Gala where we will hopefully be touching hearts and pocketbooks(no offense to invited gifts). The focus of this effort will be to fund to positions at the Children's Medical Center of Dallas which will also help to improve care for children with cancer and, in my mind, neuroblastoma. We are hoping that the additional dollars will help to woo exceptional talent and, personally, to bring focus and improve care for patients with neuroblastoma specifically.
Tomorrow is all about the 1st Annual Neuroblastoma Walk for a Cure. The awareness generated and funds raised by this walk will specifically benefit children diagnosed with neuroblastoma and treated at Cook's here in Fort Worth. These funds will be used to help seed the newly founded Neuroblastoma Program. Funds raised will help to bring new personnel into the fold that can help focus talent on neuroblastoma research. Although Cook's does not have their own basic science laboratory to conduct preclinical research they are an important cog in the research process. Simply put, they see and treat a large amount of high risk patients and, most importantly, put them on trial. They are an important institution to both the COG and the NANT because of their commitment to delivering world class cutting edge care and doing so in a meaningful way that helps to answer important research questions. They are that important piece of the puzzle that actually delivers the new treatments to patients and they do it accurately and in comparatively high volume. This is why it is so important to provide the Cook's Neuroblastoma Program with the necessary funds to hire personnel and to buy equipment to help deliver these cutting edge treatments and care to our families. Simply put, dollars spent here will not only benefit patients with neuroblastoma with high quality care but will help to speed the research engine.
Please come out to support us and to make noise on behalf of all of the other families afflicted with neuroblastoma. Whether you bring a bucketful of dollars or or a happy smile we would appreciate your support tomorrow morning. Information about the walk can be found here:
With hope, purpose and thanks,
Mark
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