The HFC Family 5k: The Robinsons Hit Plano

As I left Austin on Friday evening to head to Plano for Saturday morning's Heroes for Children Family 5k walk, I received a call on my cell phone from Jenny, checking to see if I was actually on the road yet. When I replied that we were just getting on to I-35, she cheered "You're coming!" No less than 20 minutes later, my friend Amy called with the same intent. Confused, I asked her "Did you guys actually think I wouldn't come? I told you I was coming!"

She confessed that my group of friends, while hopeful, weren't sure that my family of five would actually make it up for the 8am walk, given my crazy schedule as a full time graduate student in the University of Texas School of Social Work, a schedule that includes 16 hours a week of clinical internship at the cancer clinic at Scott and White hospital.

Truth be told, there was some grumbling on my part as I rushed around like a madwoman on Friday evening, trying to pack up the kids and drop the dog off at the kennel and head out the door for a 3 hour trek north, trying not to think about the research paper and chapters of reading I have due this week. But my friends had nothing to worry about - I would not have missed the Heroes for Children 5k walk for all the graduate class syllabi in the world. Miss the chance to support my favorite nonprofit organization, my inspiration for going into pediatric oncology social work? Not a chance.

We could not have asked for more beautiful weather - when we left the hotel at 7:15am for the walk festivities, it was sunny and cool. After meeting up with my friends, the Weintraub, Franklin, Reininger, Miller and Crowe families, we spent some time bringing the kids around to all the great activities HFC had on hand to be sure little ones were kept entertained and engaged. The bouncy house was the biggest hit with my three kids, but the Franklin trio greatly enjoyed the corporate mascots on hand (including the Chik-Fil-A cow and a giant tooth), Samantha Weintraub was thrilled to meet some Plano cheerleaders, and Deb's daughter sported a gorgeous pink flower on her cheek from the face painting area.

The official ceremony kicked off around 8:45am, with a balloon release and the introduction of the Grand Marshalls, 2 very brave young men fighting cancer.

Larissa and Jenny, getting ready for the balloon release



The balloon release - yellow balloons with 2 red heart balloons for Allie and Taylor



Jenny and daughter Maggie watch Grand Marshall Matthew Marioni on stage



Right on time, we were ready to line up and do the "cancer walk" as my 3 year old Lucy called it. We agreed as a group that we would do the 1k option available (for those of us laden with young children and strollers) and leave the longer 5k walk for a future walk.

Unfortunately, Chuck Weintraub and my husband missed the memo. With the large crowd on hand to support HFC, our group got separated, and the husbands (along with little Ben and my 2 boys) missed the left turn to do the 1k route. So Jen and myself and our two girls waited. And waited. And waited some more.

And that is how Chuck and Ben and Rich and my 2 boys earned the dubious distinction of last place at the HFC 5k walk.

Bringing up the rear (notice how there are no other walkers in sight?)



Last place finishing time



Finally crossing the finish line (Lucy jumped in to finish again with her brothers)



It just goes to show how great of an event this walk is that, even with coming in dead last, my 5 and 7 year olds exclaimed, "We love the cancer walk!"

A few other images from the day:

Jenny Scott, woman at work



As busy as she was, Jenny made time for a photo with me



The Franklin twins enjoy the Eddie Coker concert



We hope to see you next year - last place honors is up for grabs!

In loving memory of Taylor and Allie

Taylor during the summer of 2001 after her first cancer treatment

On September 13, 2001, just two days after the attack on the World Trade Center, Larissa Linton heard the devastating news that her four year old daughter Taylor had relapsed. After six months of remission, time spent at home with her adorable little sisters, and even a fourth birthday, Taylor's cancer had returned, forcing her and her family to go back into the hospital for further treatment. Taylor passed away two months later at the age of four and a half years.

I didn't know Larissa or Taylor, nor had I heard this sad story of her life. I was happily unaware of childhood cancer, working as a middle school teacher in Plano ISD. I had finished my first year of teaching (when I won Beginning Teacher of the Year for all of Plano ISD!) and happy in life with my husband and our dog. Little did I know that I would be intimately connected with Larissa and her story and pain just three years later.

Allie and Mama after her first round of chemotherapy June 2004

On September 13, 2004, the very same day Taylor had relapsed three years prior, I held my daughter in my arms for the last time. At eight months twenty seven days, Allie's life ended. Her little body was just too weak to beat the cancer ravaging her body and she needed to be out of pain.

Every year on September 13th, I spend time with my husband and now 22 month old daughter for "Allie Day." With an event happening in two days, I am here at work for the morning to get some things done, and then we're off for Allie Day. For me, it is a sad day, yes, but a day to honor and remember her memory. I try to focus on the good days, and there were many, then the bad. I concentrate on her smile, her shining eyes, and her beautiful spirit.

I can't help but to think of Taylor today too. There was a reason that we were brought together. So many coincidences are out there between Taylor and Allie and their short lives. I was meant to meet Larissa, meant to work here with Heroes for Children, and meant for us both to carry out our daughters' legacies. So, today I remember why I sit here at this desk at the Heroes for Children office. It isn't to worry about the position a logo goes on a page or whether or not the helium tanks are ordered and paid for (though those are important for us today!), it is really about carrying on in loving memory of Taylor and Allie.

A few thanks...

To our beautiful angels--we miss you each and every day and wish you were here to celebrate being cancer free with us. However, we will carry on your legacy as long as we possibly can.

To the loves of my life Andrew and Maggie--thank you for being the best husband and daughter I could ask for. You fill my heart and make me whole again. Maggie, I wish you knew your sister, but I know she is watching over you always.

To our friends, family, and amazing HFC supporters--thank you for keeping the memories of Taylor and Allie alive each day and for supporting our families with love and compassion. We are so very blessed to know you!

To the HFC Staff--Cheryl, Christi, and Cricket--your dedication to the mission of Heroes for Children is unfailing. This organization would not continue without your hearts and passion. Thank you for giving your energy every day to the mission and for believing so firmly that what we do makes a difference. Heroes for Children and Larissa and I are blessed to know you!

To Larissa--I love you my friend. I never knew sweet Taylor, but I love just as much as I love your other three (soon to be four!!) gorgeous children. Thank you for being my friend.

Back to School!!

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Oh the mixed emotions of kids going back to school!! We had such a fun and relaxing summer. It was nice to sleep in and not have to rush the kids out to school in the a.m. Lots of time spent swimming at the pool and playing with friends! Last week, it was back to reality for ALL of us!! I had to get up before 7:00 a.m. (they had to get up before 9:30 a.m. -their summer wake up time!) New teachers, new friends, of course the new back packs and school clothes helped make things a little better!!
Tristyn started 3rd grade and Tessa 1st. Even little Luke moved up to the two year old class!! Everyone is growing up. I have just 5 weeks left til Miss Lilly joins our family!! Less than that if she follows in the pattern of her big sisters. So, Kenny and I spent the Labor Day weekend preparing the nursery for her arrival. I must say, it looks REALLY cute! Pink and green. I have included a picture of Luke and Maggie playing in her crib. Maggie came over to play on Saturday, and boy, did the two of them have a BALL!! They giggled and played, went up and down the slide, ate popsicles, and just had a good old time! They decided to break in Lilly's crib, and i think Maggie would have been content to just sleep there had Jenny let her!!

Last night all 3 kids had on their Heroes for Children 5K t-shirts to sleep in, so i had to take a picture and plug the 5K!!

It is definately going to be the best one yet this year! The kids are so excited. And why wouldnt they be?? Bounce houses, a train, Eddie Coker concert, Sweet and Sassy will be there doing "up do's" for the girls, face painting....... not to mention the actual race!

Be sure and sign up ASAP as the price increases on Thursday!! Hope you all have a great week, and enjoy your kiddos!!

The family that volunteers together....

It's September--which means its time for our Volunteer of the Month for September 2007! This month's volunteer choice is a couple that takes their volunteering very seriously. Jennifer and Allan Rayson have been involved since the inception of Heroes for Children and make volunteering a family priority. While he leads the Board of Directors as the Chairman, she works with a group of volunteers to put on the most successful 5K Run/Walk we've ever had! Jennifer has served as the race chair for the past year, and all her hard work will pay off in two weeks!

We're lucky to have Jennifer and Allan as committed volunteer of Heroes for Children. And my husband and I couldn't ask for better neighbors!! Jennifer and Allan--you're the best!!!

Name, Age, Occupation:

Allan: I am 31 years old, and I am in Commercial Banking at Bank of Texas. I have been in the banking industry for my entire career after graduating from Business School at Texas Tech University in 2000. I am also lucky enough to be the Chairman of Heroes for Children.

Jennifer: I am 30 years old. I am CEO of the Rayson Household. It’s a very busy job – I put in a lot of overtime.


How did you get involved with HFC?

Despite the fact that Heroes had not yet been formed, we became indirectly involved on May 7, 2004. This was the day that we received a sobering voicemail message from Jenny Scott indicating that her daughter, Allie, who was then only 4 months, had been diagnosed with Leukemia. As anyone would if they had received this voicemail, we and several other neighbors set out to raise money to assist the Scott family with their day-to-day expenses by raising money in our neighborhood in Allen. Due to the generosity of the residents of Lost Creek Ranch, we were able to raise several thousand dollars in only a couple of days to assist the Scott family.

We became directly involved with Heroes as it was being formed in late 2004. Allan was initially involved as the Treasurer for the organization in 2004 and 2005 and became the Chairman in 2007. Jennifer is also very involved with Heroes in her capacity as the Chairwoman for the 2007 Heroes for Children 5K Run/Walk.


Do you have any kids and/or pets?

We don’t have any pets, but we have three, energetic boys named Will (age 4), Alex (age 3) and Sam (age 5 mo.). They’re all so different, each with their own distinct little personality. We are enjoying every loud and rowdy minute of life with the Rayson boys! Will has also shown generosity to Heroes by volunteering to have his friends (actually the parents of his friends) donate financially instead of giving him a gift for his fourth birthday in March of this year.


From looking at you, no one would guess that…..

Allan: I enjoy running marathons for enjoyment (and the challenge, of course!). I have run the Dallas White Rock Marathon for the last three years and hope to complete my fourth consecutive race in December of this year. I started running marathons in honor of my little friend, Allie Scott, in 2004, and I have looked to her for inspiration in each of my races since. Not too many people know that I kept a copy of Allie’s memorial card from her funeral in my pocket for my first marathon in 2004 and still have that card today.

Jennifer: Well, running marathons happens to be a hobby we enjoy together, but I’ll try to come up with something else – wouldn’t want to bore you folks. So, one might not guess that I also enjoy photography. Although I use the term “photography” loosely. I love my kids, I love to take pictures of them, and I love my camera that my dear husband bought me that takes great pictures of our little darlings. I’m an amateur no doubt, but I do love it!


Favorite place to eat:

Allan: my favorite place to eat is Luna De Noche when Jennifer and I go out to eat together.

Jennifer: Yep, without a doubt, love the Luna!


What’s on your book shelf?

Allan: the books that I am currently reading are The Smartest Guys in the Room (a book about the Enron meltdown) and Built to Last (a book by Jim Collins about business). However, I usually find myself reading books about Curious George and other children’s topics to the boys more often than I read my own books!

Jennifer: A few of my most recent reads are Boundaries for Kids and The Proper Care and Feeding of Husbands. Next up is Pathway to Purpose for Women. As you can tell, I don’t do fiction. Most of my books are on the topics of marriage, relationships, & parenting - I need all the help I can get!


What’s in your iPod/CD changer?

Allan: I can’t live without my iPod! I use it almost daily when running or mowing my lawn. It is the greatest invention ever! I hate to say it, but my iPod is loaded with everything from Jay-Z to Johnny Cash to Kid Rock to Alan Jackson…I am across the board when it comes to music!

Jennifer: My what??? I don’t have an iPod and I can’t stand Allan’s. He won’t talk to me when we run together because he’s too busy trying to keep up-- I mean too busy listening to that darn iPod! And I can’t even remember the last time I bought a CD. I’m not really a big music person, I just listen to the radio and I like a little of everything with the exception of rap and heavy metal.

Who’s your hero?

Allan: I have several sports and music heroes, but I have to say that my one true hero is my wife, Jennifer. She is truly the cornerstone of our family (in addition to being the CEO of the Rayson Household) and I admire the work that she does as a Wife, Mother, and Volunteer. Jennifer is Superwoman and we wouldn’t be the same without her! Don’t tell anyone, but she also runs marathons faster than I do, which is quite difficult to handle!

Jennifer: Well, I think you would agree there’s really only one way I can follow that answer…that is if I want to keep the peace around here! So, let me tell you about my hero – my husband, Allan. He works so incredibly hard for our family so that I can stay home with our kids, which I appreciate more than he’ll ever know. I’m sure I don’t tell him thank you often enough. He is kind, loving, and generous – and his sense of humor is what keeps me going after a long day with the kids! We are truly blessed to have him as husband and father – simply could not ask for more. I love him dearly.

Press Release--A True Hero

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
August 16, 2007

Heroes for Children 5K Run/Walk
Matthew Marioni selected as Grand Marshall

Collin County –Matthew Marioni has been selected as one of the Grand Marshall for the Heroes for Children 5K Race/Walk, presented by WFAA, that will take place on Saturday, September 15th at The Shops of Legacy in Plano.

In February 2007, at age 13, Matthew was diagnosed with a type of cancer called Childhood Extracranial Germ Cell tumor, located in his chest near his heart and lungs, after going to the doctor complaining of a pain in his right shoulder.

After an x-ray showed that he had an enlarged heart, he went to the cardiologist and had a sonogram. The sonogram showed that his heart was fine. A CT scan revealed his family’s worst nightmare, that he had a large tumor located near his lungs and heart.
Because of the location of the tumor, Matthew went through four rounds of chemotherapy to try to shrink it before surgery was performed. Doctors decided it had to be removed. On May 21, 2007 the almost two pound tumor was taken out.

Matthews’s mother, Melissa had to quit her job to care for Matthew. His mom states, “When you have a child with a life threatening disease the last thing you want on your mind is how am I going to pay my bills but the thought does enter your mind and you can’t help it”. Heroes for Children provided financial assistance to Matthew’s family.

Individuals and teams can help support Heroes for Children so they can continue to provide financial assistance to families who have children battling cancer by registering for the 5K Run/Walk or the 1K Family Fun run event at http://www.heroesforchildren.org/5k.html.
September 15th, the date of the Heroes for Children 5k race/walk, will not only hold a special memory for Matthew because he is the Grand Marshall, but it is also his birthday. He will be turning 14. A day definitely worth celebrating!

Celebration for Heroes for Children!

The Board of Directors broke open a bottle of champagne in celebration last night. We toasted the memories of Allie and Taylor and the many families we have served since our creation in November of 2004. Our celebration? The fact that we crossed over the HALF A MILLION DOLLAR mark in relation to our program services for cancer families!! As we were still operating as Taylor's Angels until the end of 2004, we count this total from January 2005 to today.

That's right, half a million dollars spent on families in less than three years! So, what does that mean exactly? Well, it's....

• 6 hospitals in Texas
• 695 requests for assistance
• 52 laptops donated directly to older children battling cancer
• 48 funerals
• 20 sperm banking requests
• 10 wigs for teenage girls
• Thousands of beads through the Beads of Courage program at Medical City Children's Hospital and coming soon to Christus Santa Rosa and MD Anderson
• 2 wheelchair ramps
• 1 prosthetic eye (covered the expense for a patient with eye cancer)
• Much, much more!

I cannot tell you how happy we are to celebrate this milestone. Thank you for being apart of our celebration! Raise a glass--here's to many more requests and the next half a million to families!!

Volunteer of the Month

Heroes for Children recognizes that we would not be where we are today if it wasn't for the commitment and love of our volunteers. Volunteers donate their time and energy to our mission, ensuring that more families are benefited each and every year.

It's time for our first Volunteer of the Month! Each month, we will feature a different volunteer of the month. It will remain on our website for the month, as well as be featured here on the Everyday Wishes blog.

The 2007 August Volunteer of the Month is Megan Williamson. Megan has been volunteering her time and energy helping launch our new fundraising program, the Superheroes Birthday Club! Be sure to visit the page (and yes, that is Megan's adorable son Hopper on the top of the page!) and click on the invitations to view. Each one was specially created for Heroes for Children by Megan!

And now, here is our fun questionnaire featuring Megan Williamson:

Name, Age, Occupation: Megan Williamson, 26, real estate investor & mom.

How did you get involved with HFC? After learning about HFC, we raised money for the organization in lieu of gifts for my sons first birthday party. Jenny saw the party invitation I had designed for it and asked me to help launch the "Super Heroes Birthday Club" by designing custom birthday invitations for the program...and they haven't been able to get rid of me since. ; )

Do you have any kids and/or pets? We have a son who is 15 months now, and three to many diva dogs.

From looking at you, no one would guess that... When someone knocks on my door and I answer they usually ask if my parents are home, when I get a manicure I will likely get asked if I'm getting my nails done for prom/homecoming, and when I went to the airport to show identification for my ticket she was surprised that I already had a drivers license. So from experience, I would say most people wouldn't guess that I'm older then what I am.

Favorite place to eat: Simon's Sushi in Plano

What's on your book shelf? On my bookshelf...to many to list. Presently residing in my nightstand for night time reading; Boundaries with Kids & Domicilium Decoratus.

What's in your iPod/CD changer? I don't know which is worse, that I don't have nor know how an iPod works, or that our CD changer only has Groove to the Music by the Backyardigans for my son to bop to.

Who's your hero? Someone that has been inspirational to me was my stepfather Walter Gregg, that I lost to cancer while I was pregnant with my son. He was very loved and respected and I admired him for his compassion to children in need throughout his life. After experiencing his fight with cancer and the effects it had on him and my family both emotionally and financially is what originally gave me the drive to become involved with Heroes For Children