Archive for the ‘money’ Category

Every 38 Seconds…

Friday, February 3rd, 2012

Today, I wanted to dedicate my blog to an awesome family that lives right around the corner from me, Charlie Haughey and his family. I’m going to let his mother, Julie tell you guys what they are up to…

“I am writing you today to ask for your support of an incredibly important organization, CureSearch for Children’s Cancer. As you may know, my son Charlie was diagnosed with stage 4 neuroblastoma on December 24, 2009. Three days later he celebrated his 3rd birthday and began 14 months of very aggressive treatment at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia. Your generous donation supports CureSearch for Children’s Cancer, a national non-profit foundation whose mission is to fund and support children’s cancer research and provide information and resources to all those affected by children’s cancer. CureSearch raises funds for collaborative research conducted at more than 175 hospitals across the nation, including CHOP. These hospitals participate in National Cancer Institute sponsored clinical trials conducted by the Children’s Oncology Group. In the last 40 years, collaborative research has increased the overall survival rate for children’s cancer from 10% to 78%. At CureSearch, our goal is 100%.

Two years ago, I ran the New York Marathon with Team CureSearch. This year, I have chosen to join CureSearch in their fight for a cure by participating in The CureSearch Walk. The CureSearch Walk celebrates and honors children, like Charlie, whose lives have been affected by children’s cancer, while raising funds for lifesaving research. I have set an aggressive fundraising goal, because all children living with cancer and those who have lost their fight deserve it. Please consider making a donation to my campaign – there is no gift too big or too small.

Thank you for your support. I can promise that you are making a difference in the lives of all those affected by children’s cancer. Together, we can Reach the Day when every child with cancer is guaranteed a cure.

With hope and gratitude,

Julie Haughey”

To donate to CureSearch for Children’s Cancer, please use this link.

 

Do something good today folks. A Child Dies From Childhood Cancer Every 38 Seconds. Who is ready to stand with this brave family? Make a difference today.

Movie Reviews…

Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides – there’s only two reasons you want to see this movie… either you’re 12 or you would pay money to watch Johnny Depp do anything. Or both I guess.

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Susan G. Komen for Women’s Health?

Wednesday, February 1st, 2012

I am really saddened by Susan G. Komen for the Cure’s decision to stop funding breast screenings to Planned Parenthood. I would like to hear more from Komen on this issue. But it appears that politics played a role in a group (albeit, a private one) that is supposed to promote women’s health cutting off funding to cancer screenings. I am not donating to Susan G. Komen until further notice. They are a private organization and I am a private citizen that can also choose where to put my hard-earned dollars.

I posted this on Facebook last night with a fairly simple statement, I am not donating until I hear more – the screenings they are going to be denying women could help save women’s lives against breast cancer. And what I got from friends was pure politics due to PP being an abortion provider.

I am looking at this as the father of a daughter, the son of an amazing mother, a future husband, and an ex-husband. And all of those women in the roles I just mentioned – all have incidents of cancer in their families. I ran 40 miles about a month ago to fight cancer with Team in Training. And I have no time or money for anyone or group that stands in my way to fight that disease.

To me, this is about fighting cancer, not congressional investigations (which seriously, there is zero legal requirement for an investigation to be started by Congress, so skip that – that IS purely political). And OK, if SGK’s motives were political, why not find a right wing cancer screening group of hospitals that you could donate those funds ear-marked for PP to provide those screenings for women in need?

SGK has made waves previously for their lawsuits against other cancer fighting non-profits for using the “for the cure” slogan. While legally they were fully acting within their rights, I have to ask, are you really fighting cancer or just spending the money you are raising to pay attorneys and talk to right wing lobbyists?

One last time, I get that SGK is a private organization and they can make their own choices. Just like I and millions of others can as we make our donations this year and in the future.

UPDATE: A petition has started, sign and share please if you care to do so.

Movie Reviews…

Cave of Forgotten Dreams – this was a pretty impressive documentary. Cave art that goes back 32,000 years filmed by Werner Herzog in 3D, awesome.

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Reinforcing a good deed…

Saturday, January 28th, 2012

Vivienne opening her own thank you card for her donation to the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. Yep, Abbe and I stamped and mailed Viv a thank you card along with our other donors. Might be a waste of a stamp, but I hope this helps a good soul find good stuff to do for this world.

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Goodbye to a sweet soul, Help Alex!, and last run?

Wednesday, December 28th, 2011

I got a sad email last night, I learned that I will be carrying Aunt Bee’s (a relative of my friend, Lime) name on my shoe during the Disney Marathon in memory. She passed away yesterday afternoon due to a bout with pneumonia. She was fighting leukemia and sounded like one of funniest and happiest people in the world.

Today, I wanted to hopefully let some folks know about a good friend of mine and his quest to fight cancer as well. Alex is my neighbor, former co-worker, and just an all-around awesome dude. Unfortunately, he also lost his mother to cancer. Alex is doing a different sort of fundraiser to benefit the American Cancer Society, he is participating in the 11th Annual 48 hours of TriState: Subaru Enthusiasts Drive for Charity. Please consider a donation if you are able to do so. If you are not able to give, please share this link. Do something good today.

And with all this cancer news in my blog, I have some disappointing news as well – this will probably be the last year Abbe and I are going to be able to do the Disney Marathon for some time. The financial commitment from ourselves has just become too much. We are considering doing the Philadelphia Marathon instead next year, but that isn’t certain either. My mother told me the other night she will not be able to go next year to help with the children and Abbe and I are just not able to endure another fundraising season.

See, the deadline to get donations in prior to us being charged is generally 1-2 weeks before Christmas. The past two years, I have had to hold off on doing any Christmas shopping with the fear that Abbe and I would be charged the money not raised. Ergo, Abbe and I have become those poor relatives that only can afford to give you photos of my kids for Christmas. If it wasn’t for my mother’s ridiculously generous gifts, my kids would have had very few things to open. And although, I’m blathering on about Christmas gifts (and believe me, I know that gifts is not what Christmas is all about), Abbe has a car that is barely running and my truck literally has parts of it wired and duct-taped to hold it together.

We are tired of begging and being poor. There are some issues we would like to be see fixed/changed at Team in Training that legitimately get in the way of the folks doing the fundraising (aka us!). We want to get married. This year-end clearing of our bank accounts has made it impossible for us to save for our wedding. We will be back in some capacity, but at this point, it looks like we need a year or two off.

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the original social medium… that talking thing

Tuesday, December 27th, 2011

Last night, Abbe and Bubs were in Pa, Viv was with her Mom, and I went over for some leftovers with my mother. That was the best leftover Chinese food (for whatever reason, we adopted the tradition of Chinese food for Christmas Eve dinner every year) I’ve had in a long time. Mom and I got to talk and it was good for both of us. Nothing was wrong or anything, just a Mom and son getting a chance to just be. I highly recommend it.

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