Go Gold in September for Childhood Cancer Awareness Month

If you aren’t aware, September is childhood cancer awareness month. A month easily forgotten by those unaffected. 

4 Year Old Kennedy

Did you know that 15,780 kids in the U.S  are diagnosed with cancer each year? Could you imagine? In an instant, your life is changed forever. Whether you are the patient or simply just connected with them, you will never be the same again. Life all of a sudden becomes a gift. You quickly realize how privileged you were or are depending on the situation. Time becomes precious. Your scared. You want to cry. Dealing with this is the last thing you want to do. Why you? Why your family? You’re so ready to break down and scream, but you need to be strong. The only thing you can do is keep your head up and pretend like you know that everything is going to turn out fine. 

Over 15,000 families go through that each year. 20% of those families have to deal with the worst situation possible, losing a child. You may not realize the significance of this disease. The impact it makes on millions of peoples lives. Cancer doesn’t only happen to adults; children experience it too. 

Special Spaces Room Makeover

So, what can we do about it? Well, childhood cancer is the number now cause of children’s death by disease in the U.S, yet its distastefully underfunded. Of the 4.9 billion dollars supplied to The National Cancer Institute each year, only 195 million is granted to the children’s fund. That’s only 4% of the whole budget. Insane right? There are hundreds of amazing foundations working alongside these children bringing them joy and helping them fight their battle.  

Here are a few that impacted my life:

 

·      Bear Necessities Pediatric Cancer Foundation (Grants kids customizable $500 “bear hugs” or wishes while fighting for a cure and also supports childhood cancer research)

·      Make aWish Illinois (Gives kids the opportunityto experience their dream wish while continuing to fight for a cure)

·      Special Spaces (Gives children a customized free room makeover)

 

Make-A-Wish Trip

Bear Necessities Wish

This September I encourage you to “go gold” and help one of these or other fantastic foundations that support childhood cancer. 

Here are the links to donate:

Bear Necessities

Make a Wish

Special Spaces

Thank you for supporting this cause.

Love, 

Kennedy

6 Years Cancer Free - Kennedy's Perspective

Another year has gone by and we are another year away from childhood cancer – woo hoo!  So much has happened in the last 365 days it’s hard to keep it brief.   

The pandemic has impacted everyone and most people think that Kennedy is more at risk than the rest but she’s not. She is a normal kid with a normal immune system (knock on wood).

 

K is more involved with giving back than ever before and sharing her story. She wears her scar like a badge of honor yet still flinches if anyone tries to come near it, we’re working on that.  Her hands also sometimes shake uncontrollably – a small price to pay for health.

 

To commemorate her 5-year anniversary of kicking cancer’s a$$, last September her dance teachers choreographed her 2020 solo around her experience.  They find her spirit and attitude towards life to be inspirational and wanted her to share it.Unfortunately, due to the pandemic she was only able to perform it one time before lockdown.  The dance made us both a bit uneasy and she almost backed out.  Her biggest fear was sharing her story and having people look at her/treat her different.  She also didn’t want to win her dance competition because she was a survivor, she wanted to win because she was good – and boy was she; taking 3^rd place for title.  

 

We've never shared the full version of this music/dance before because we honestly felt uncomfortable - we didn’t want the pity or the eye rolls.  I mean, come on - she’s been out of treatment forever but in the end, it’s so beautifully done and inspirational we both needed to share.  Her story is so amazing and she tells it beautifully.  She narrates the beginning in her sweet little voice and it's coordinated with those amazing tapping feet of hers (grab some tissues and watch/listen). Here is the link: https://youtu.be/dfwph_BVils

 

Kennedy also got involved with Special Spaces this year, raising money and nominating another Palatine child for a room – you can read more about it HERE -the article gives Kennedy a shout out.  She baked more than $400 in goodies and sold the contraband in school before lockdown.  Unfortunately, she was unable to raise the entire $6K she needed but a local company (Assurance) stepped in to assist.

 

Lastly – Kennedy wanted to take over this blog so this will likely be my last post but not the end of her story.  Now that she’s a teenager (13!!!), she owns what is shared from today forward.

 

So with that, I’m logging off and handing over the baton – it’s been quite the ride and I’m ending this story with….and she lived happily ever after!

 

With love,

Edan Gelt and Gene Khalimsky (Princess K’s parents)

A NOTE FROM OUR NEW AUTHOR – KENNEDY:

 

Kennedy - Special Spaces Gala Spring 2020

Hi there! After years of this blog, I finally decided to write a message of my own. I'm not quite sure how to start this off, but i'll do my best. Everyday of my life has been a new adventure. Some may not have been the most enjoyable but I'm glad for all the life lessons that went along with it. Of course, as any normal human would, I tend to forget how lucky I am to be here today. Although I may look, act, and feel as any ordinary kid, I know that deep down, I'm not. The morals of life I've encountered at such a young age gives me the strength and wisdom to realize the true importances of life. I'm not going to go pout over not being able to get the new iphone like perhaps another girl my age would. That's just not something I see worth being upset over. I will always view life from a different perspective, not just because of my experiences, but also because of the people who taught me best, my amazing parents. I could notbe more appreciative for the people who surround me today and for the beautiful life I get to live. Another year, another triumph! I'm ending my part of the blog with… life is unpredictable, forget your worries and live life like there's no tomorrow.