Last Saturday morning, I had the pleasure of spending some time with a very cool young B+ Hero, Reece Adams.  Reece is a 6th grader from Marple-Newtown, PA and he has made such great progress.  Reece is no longer on the ventilator and he did a great job talking.  Reece also recently had surgeries on both of his lower legs and is making super progress on the ’tilt table’.  For those of you unfamiliar with a ’tilt table’, the tilt table helps you learn to walk again by slowing putting weight on your lower extremities.  I was very fortunate to have a good friend, Kevin Reilly, join me for the visit.  As many of you in the Delaware Valley know, Kevin is a former Philadelphia Eagles football player who is a tremendous individual, one of the most inspirational people you’ll ever meet.  Kevin lost his arm following surgery many years ago and Reece couldn’t stop asking Kevin questions.  Kevin’s visit really picked Reece up!  Kevin also brought a football that he and former Eagle, Bill Bergey, signed.  Reece’s Mom reported that he slept with the ball that night!!!  Reece, keep up the great work.  You will be skateboarding and riding a bike before you know it.  Thank you, Kevin Reilly, for sharing yourself with so many that can benefit from your wisdom and insight.

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Allow me to please introduce 2 new “B+ Heroes” to you.  I hope you’ll keep them in your prayers.

Jordan Davis is a 15 year old MN girl who is not only bravely battling rhabdomyosarcoma, but she has taken to giving her cancer a name - Felipe- in her battle to kick its butt.  By reading about her on her site, you can just tell that this kid has got an incredible attitude and plenty of fight in her.  I told her on her website that she can count on thousands of prayers from the B+ Nation for our newest “B+ Hero”.  A B+ shirt (and other stuff) is en route to Monticello, MN.  Can’t wait to see a picture of “Jojo” wearing her B+ gear.  Please visit Jordan’s site and show her some love.

www.caringbridge.org/visit/jojodeevsfelipe

Staying in the state of Minnesota, unfortunately, another story of rhabdomyosarcoma.  This young man, Luke Letellier is a hockey player who was just diagnosed within the last week.  I’m sure this initial shock is very jarring but, as his family says, “hockey players walk on water”.  Stay strong, Luke, you’ve got a lot of new friends praying for you.  Please visit Luke at:  http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/lukeletellier

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Why do children laugh more than adults?

Live Like Andrew - don’t take yourself too seriously.

B+

Ali’s & Andrew’s Dad

www.BePositive.org

www.caringbridge.org/visit/andrewmcdonough

I’ve been checking in (on Caringbridge) on many of our B+ Heroes.  It’s really exciting when they report a last date of scheduled treatment. Even if the date is a year off, there’s a light at the end of the tunnel.  I’m so inspired by these brave kids and their families.

Speaking of some of our B+ Heroes, 16 of them are paired with 15 fraternities, sororities, and student organizations at the University of Delaware for UDance.  UDance is a 12 hour ‘festival’ that is the largest student-run philanthropy at Delaware.  This year’s event will be held on Sun. March 21st from 11am - 11pm…and it’s open to the public.  At 4:30, we’re going to bring the B+Heroes on stage…always a moving moment when these brave kids get put up on the pedestal.  The students at UD have been amazing and we can’t thank them enough.  In addition to putting the Heroes up on the pedestal and bonding with their fraternity/sorority, we are hoping to raise a lot of money this year for our mission.  The UDance Executive Committee has set a goal of $100,000.  The online donation site has just gone ‘live’.

If you’re interested in supporting this great effort, please click on the following link.

http://www.elleevance.com/udance2010/EventLandingPage.aspx

If you would like to support my daughter’s fundraising efforts, here’s Ali’s link.  (Gotta help my girl!  :))

https://www.elleevance.com/beventLive.aspx?EventID=NBI36092620

   (Ali’s sorority has adopted Drew Koenig)

Don’t be shy about sending this link to other people.  Any size donation is much appreciated.  Also, whichever group is in the lead on Feb 28th gets a free pizza party as an interim incentive.

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I would like to thank the kids who honored Savannah Pauley last Saturday night at the Ursuline fundraiser.  There was a lot of pink in the crowd (Savannah’s favorite color), and the kids raised $1,577 for The B+ Foundation.  Thank you so much for your kindness and generosity.  Kids are not only the future, but they are the PRESENT!!!

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The Blue Rocks have reported to me that orders are coming in for “B+ Night at the Blue Rocks” on Fri. Aug 20th.  B+ Night is also a fireworks night, so I’m sure we’ll sell out.  We’d love to see the whole stadium packed with B+ shirts.  We are going to have B+ Heroes on the field before the game and a lot of other surprises.  Please visit the homepage of www.BePositive.org to print out the order form.  Two dollars from every ticket sold goes to YOUR Foundation.  And, we’re going to have some more exciting news about the Blue Rocks and B+, but I’ll hold off on that for now.

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Please also mark your calendars for the “4th Annual B+ Fighting Pediatric Cancer 5k Run/Walk” to be held at Salesianum School on Thursday, June 17th.  Registration starts at 5pm; the Run/Walk kicks off at 6:45.  And, stay around after the walk…the highlight of the event is presenting the B+ Hero medals on the children with cancer AND their siblings.  Start assembling your teams now.  We’ll be back in touch when our site goes ‘live’.

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As you struggle with the everyday challenges of life, please take a minute to say a prayer for all of the brave children who are battling cancer and their families.  And, of course, please also pray for the families of those children have gone to Heaven.  I sincerely pray that you never feel that pain.  God bless you.

Live Like Andrew - carpe diem.

B+

Ali’s & Andrew’s proud Dad

www.caringbridge.org/visit/andrewmcdonough

Wow…it’s been an exciting week of weather here in the East.  I think we got about 26 inches of snow last weekend and over a foot yesterday!  It’s kind of nice that things have shut down for a little while.

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Looking for something to warm your heart with all of this snow?  Check this out.  Sammy Bradly, a 12 yr old PA boy who is bravely battling leukemia (AML, like Andrew) has made a tremendously generous contribution to AI duPont Hospital in honor of a special person who has inspired him - my son!  Here’s an excerpt from the letter that I received from the hospital — “Sammy told us that Andrew was an inspiration to him, and he would like his contribution to be used to purchase a flat screen TV for the patients of 3A (the Bone Marrow Unit)”.  Sammy’s Mom had tipped me off about this, but seeing this letter just blew me away.  Is Sammy incredible or what!!!  To know that my Hero, Andrew, is inspiring other brave children who never met Andrew in person, means so much to me and my family.  Sammy, thank YOU for keeping Andrew ‘alive’ and honoring him this way.  We will NEVER forget your generosity.

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Continuing on with B+ Heroes, Sydney Lysinger is going to be a model in an American Cancer Society fashion show at Home Grown Cafe in Newark, DE on Feb. 21st.  Tickets are $25 which includes the fashion show and brunch.  Tickets can be purchased by calling Sandi at 302-369-1960 or Lisa at 302-266-6993.  Have fun, Syd! 

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A B+ Hero that stole my heart, Savannah Pauley, is being honored Saturday night at the Ursuline-Padua basketball game.  Savannah, who went to Heaven on 9/13/09, continues to be a big part of the Ursuline-Padua-Salesianum community.  Saturday’s game is a fundraiser honoring Savannah with proceeds going to The B+ Foundation.  Take a break from the shoveling and come out and pack the Ursuline gymnasium.  Oh, one more thing — wear pink (Savannah’s favorite color)!  See you there.

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Finally, if you’d like to think warm thoughts, turn the calendar several pages to August and circle Fri. Aug. 20th.  Make plans to join us for “B+ Night at the Blue Rocks”.  Not only is it ‘our’ night at the stadium, but it’s fireworks night which is always popular (and sold out).  But, best of all, the Wilmington Blue Rocks have selected us to be included in the rare opportunity of having the team wear special B+ jerseys.  After the game, the game-worn jerseys will be auctioned off with proceeds benefiting our mission.  How cool is it that the players will be wearing Blue Rocks/B+ jerseys.  I can’t wait and I just got to believe that Andrew is cracking up over this one (Andrew enjoyed MANY Blue Rocks games, including having his birthday party there.)  Our Foundation will receive $2 of each ticket sold, so please print out the order form from the BePositive.org homepage.  I want to see a stadium full of B+ shirts!!!  Thank you Wilmington Blue Rocks!  I’m not saying this just because they are supporting us, but the team has been a first class community partner since they came to Wilmington in 1993!

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Whatever weather you have, ENJOY it!

Live Like Andrew - he made every second count.

B+

Ali’s & Andrew’s Dad

www.caringbridge.org/visit/andrewmcdonough

I see online that we already have 20 inches of snow and who knows how much more.  It looks really cool outside.  I love the snow…shoveling is not a lot of fun, but you can’t have everything.

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On Monday evening, I traveled to Dover for the viewing of 8 year old, Ethan Max Williams.  As you may know, Ethan is a HUGE Phillies fan and he was laid out in a Phillies casket.  The sight of a child in a small, open casket gets indelibly etched into your memory.  We will NEVER stop fighting until we win this war against childhood cancers.  Please keep the Williams/Burgess families in your prayers.

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We just learned that the Ursuline (Ali’s alma mater) community is doing a fundraiser on Tuesday evening at the Ursuline-Padua basketball game.  The night will be in honor of B+ Hero, Savannah Pauley, who passed away last September.  Proceeds from the fundraiser will go to The Andrew McDonough B+ Foundation to fight childhood cancer and help families of critically ill children.  Please come out to Ursuline to join us in honoring Savannah.

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As you know, Andrew loved the game of soccer and one of his proudest accomplishments was representing his state in the Olympic Development Program (ODP).  I just received an email from Mary Ann McKenna, the Director of the Delaware ODP that all Delaware Boys ODP players will wear a special training shirt which will consist of both the Delaware ODP logo and the B+ logo.  What a great way to honor our Hero.  Thank you SO much!  I’m sure Andrew is smiling.

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By the way, I had a dream the other night with Andrew in it.  I LOVE when I get a visit from Andrew in my dreams.   They aren’t that frequent.  It was very short but nice.  Andrew was coming off of the ice from playing hockey (that part is kind of odd…he could skate, but he didn’t play ice hockey…maybe it was the recent Sallie ice hockey game) and I caught him before heading into the locker room.  I was by myself and I asked him if I could give him a hug and kiss and he stopped and we hugged and I kissed him.  It meant so much to me.  I asked him if Chris and Ali could get a hug and kiss the next game and he smiled and said “of course”!  Kind of odd, but that’s what it was.

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Finally, I would like to put a call out for “B+ Ambassadors” around the country.  As you know, we have helped families in 31 states so far, yet we raise money primarily from the tri-state region here.  To spread the reach of The B+ Foundation far and wide, we have had some people volunteer to run B+ fundraising events in their communities.  We have interest expressed in Southern California, Salt Lake City, Chicago, Sarasota (FL), and in Virginia.  The events are primarily B+ Walks and in some of the other cases, a motorcycle rally and a soccer tournament.  Just think, if we could hold B+ Walks in 10 cities across the country, not only would we raise a lot of money for childhood cancer, but we would greatly expand the awareness of the cause.  But, to do this, we need your help.  It needs to be a grassroots effort in your community.  I have a one pager outlining the ABC’s of organizing a B+ Walk and can help you to some degree from afar, but what we really need are “B+ Ambassadors” around the country.  Would you like to be a “B+ Ambassador” in your area to help us with our mission?  I hope there will be great interest.  Please contact me at joe@livelikeandrew.org.  Thank you very much for considering this.

Enjoy the snow or whatever weather you’re having.  You can’t change it…the only thing that you can change is your attitude.

Live Like Andrew - make the best of whatever you have.

B+

Peace.

Ali’s & Andrew’s Dad

www.caringbridge.org/visit/andrewmcdonough