For Emily's birthday I have decided to shave my head again with the 46 Mommas Shave for the Brave in Kansas City this year. Losing Emily certainly taught us more about childhood cancer than any parent should know, every day I hear about another child diagnosed or taken by cancer and I have to do something that makes a difference, truly can change the fact that worldwide every 3 minutes a child is diagnosed with cancer, and right here in the US cancer is the number 1 disease related cause of death for children. The week of Emily’s birthday I have learned of another child diagnosed with liver cancer, another cheerleading earning her wings, all while thinking my precious Emily would have been 13, a teenager, WOW remember the joy when we were finally teenagers. I thought I could rule the world. Children deserve to have that wide eyed optimism, to be anything they want without enduring pain and chemo. Emily gave so much to us, but her life was too short. St Baldrick’s provides grants to support pediatric cancer research and they need our help, we have an opportunity to give and make a difference.

I am embarrassed how little I knew about childhood cancer before Emily’s diagnosis, and shaving my head gives me the opportunity to make others aware and raise funds to improve the prognosis and ease the treatment for these children, not just those who are battling but those who have passed, and their families. Join me, and let’s make a difference.