July 23rd.
2017.
My 8th Shave in 8 Years.
Every Shave with the 46 Mommas.
For The St. Baldrick’s Foundation.
Every Honored Kid a different one.
I’ve been asked why, what’s my reason.
How come I keep on fighting so hard.
Let me tell you.
As I sit here knowing that soon I'll be about to have my head shaved, I reflect on why I cannot walk away from this fight.
First, I want you to know:
July 23rd - 2017's Shave Day will see me mark 49 Years 6 Months 1 Day post diagnosis of Stage IV High Risk Neuroblastoma. I was diagnosed on January 22 1968 at just 8 1/2 Months of Age.
Now, while this surely should leave most of you in awe, which it more than likely ought to; I want you to think about something else:
Sweet Baby Alex Mouguey was born 3 Years 9 Months 4 Days after I was, he was diagnosed just 4 Years 5 Months 12 Days after I was, and yet on July 23rd I will shave while keeping Alexander’s legacy ALIVE. You see, every year since Sweet Baby Alex was stolen away by Neuroblastoma, his Momma Suzanne has to face not only every single day but his Birthday (Feb 9th), his diagnosis day (4th of July), the day he was stolen away by neuroblastoma (Thanksgiving Day) wishing, wondering, wanting, and hurting.
Do you want to know my reason?
Why is it I keep fighting so hard?
What makes it so I can never walk away?
Look around you, every day.
Do you see the 8 Month Old held by a parent, the 4 year old playing with the Tonka Trucks, the 11 year old worried about what clothes to wear, the 14 year old other kids point at, the 18 year old about to go off to college? Do you see them? The newborns up to 20 Years of Age?
Maybe you even know some of them.
They all have names, dreams, and a future…
or do they have a future?
My Honored Kid Baby Alex Mouguey should have had a future, but he remains Forever 21 Months 2 Weeks of Age.
Every 2 Minutes, WORLDWIDE, a child is diagnosed with some form of cancer; together, we're trying to make sure they ALL have a future to look forward to and be a part of!
The reason I keep fighting so hard, why I can never walk away, why even after coming through my own journey alive I keep right on swinging — is because I want to push so hard that a time comes when the answer to that final question becomes an unequivocal YES and so no parent or sibling ever has to be left facing a single day wishing, wondering, wanting, or hurting!
