This May marks thirty years since I was diagnosed with cancer, and I wanted to do something special to mark the occasion. I am very grateful to live a full life with my husband and children! I also wanted to do something that would acknowledge those who continue to struggle with this disease, as well as those lost. I can’t introduce my children to the grandfather they never knew, or take them to hear my pianist friend perform with only one arm after losing the other to osteosarcoma. There is very little I can do as I watch a friend’s heartbreak over her mother’s suffering. I can do my part cultivate hope – and where there is hope, there is progress.
I’ve teamed up with a fantastic group of bloggers to put together a book filled with ideas for projects children can make to bring hope to cancer patients. Many of these bloggers shared incredible stories that inspired their projects. I’m beyond thrilled with the projects that have come in so far, and I am excited to share some amazing ideas while raising money for the American Cancer Society, a charity organization that has made a big impact on my life – beginning with funding some of the research that saved my life! We will celebrate for over a month – from the anniversary of my diagnosis until my 32nd birthday, through a blog hop with these blogs:
14 May Mama Smiles
15 May Artsy Craftsy Mom and Rainbows Within Reach
16 May B. Inspired, Mama!
17 May Rainy Day Mum and Imagination Soup
18 May Inspiration Laboratories
19 May Experimenting Mom
20 May Mama Mia’s Heart2Heart
21 May NurtureStore
22 May Living Montessori Now
23 May Mess for Less
24 May Having Fun at Home and CraftoArt
25 May Outlaw Mom
26 May Angelique Felix and Sense of Wonder
27 May Sun Hats & Wellie Boots
28 May Duck Duck Octopus
29 May Smiling like Sunshine
30 May Mommy with Selective Memory
31 May One Perfect Day
1 June The Educators’ Spin On It
2 June Kids Stuff World
3 June Rainy Day Mum
4 June Teach Preschool
5 June Dirt and Boogers
6 June Creative Connections for Kids and The Golden Gleam
7 June Montessori Tidbits
8 June Mom to 2 Posh Lil Divas
9 June The Iowa Farmer’s Wife
10 June Scribble Doodle and Draw
11 June Learn with Play
12 June Kitchen Counter Chronicles
13 June CRAYON Freckles
14 June Glittering Muffins
15 June Wise Owl Factory
16 June Crafty Maa
18 June Lessons Learnt Journal
20 June Growing a Jeweled Rose
21 June Growing Play
23 June JDaniel4’s Mom
Would you like to get involved? Email me (mamasmilesblog at gmail dot com). What is your cancer story?
Special thanks to Andie of CRAYON freckles for creating this beautiful image, also used in the button – which you can grab from my sidebar!
MaryAnne is a craft loving educator, musician, photographer, and writer who lives in Silicon Valley with her husband Mike and their four children.
This is a wonderful project!! I just posted about it on Craft Gossip!! Keep up the wonderful inspiring work!
http://lessonplans.craftgossip.com/small-hands-creating-hope/2012/05/31
Thank you, Kristen!
MaryAnne, So happy that I have been included and I have sent you along my submission. Can you please put me down for June 21st? Thanks, Margaret from GrowingPlay
Done – thrilled to have you participating!
Mary, you are so courageous and wonderful…lovely event and lovely post. My blog has a post on this and i am fbking too. Luv and Hugs, Sunayana
I am so excited to be a part of this…getting teary-eyed just thinking about it :) Thanks for the opportunity and so happy that we can celebrate your healing!!
You are such an inspiration MaryAnne! Adding the button to my blog and looking forward to the blog hop :)
Thank you!
Hmmmm…….I’ll have to think about this, I’d love to participate, but I don’t know if I”m up for it. So, let me think some more, it’s still a hard subject in our house.
Have a daughter undergoing treatment for leukemia , just so great to see your work
Thank you. I hope your daughter’s treatment goes well!
Hi MaryAnne,just sent you an email.I would love to be a part of this wonderful initiative.
hope to hear from you.
Emailed you back, Trish! Would love to have you participate :)
This is such a wonderful project!
Wow! 30 years…that’s awesome, MaryAnne! Much to be thankful for, I’m sure. I don’t have a cancer story but I’ve been following closely as some friends of ours have a 2 year old girl who was diagnosed with AT/RT cancer the beginning of this year. We’re praying for complete healing for her!
Congratulations and what an inspiration you are MaryAnne! I’m delighted and honored to be part of this project! :) I look forward to the posts and to raising funds for the ACS.
So glad you are participating – thank you! :)
Terrific. Your story is an inspiration and hope to many. I am looking forward to May project.
Congratulations on 30 years and you are amazing and fabulous for organising this. I’m so honoured to be involved and really hope that it brings hope to others.
So thrilled that you are participating, Cerys! :)
Maryanne, you are truly an inspiration!
Congratulations on 30 years cancer-free!!!
What an amazing idea. Can’t wait to see everything.
Thank you!!! I’m super excited about this project, and all the great ideas everyone came up with!
What a wonderful project!
I love how you celebrate your survival and provide hope for others through it! You reach out to and enrich so many through this gift of life that you’ve been given. Thanks for the reminder to count my life as a gift in the same way you do yours.
Wow! That’s an awesome way to celebrate!
Wow! Your are amazing! Congratulations on 30 yrs..and 32 yrs! I am so excited to share this with my sister whose daughter is a cancer survivor…and was diagnosed at 2! :)