You see, I really wanted MORE photos of me + Juliana + the cookie but she ate most of it before we could.
When we got to San Francisco, I told her they were ‘special’ cookies we needed to ‘save’ for pictures! We got into town on a Tuesday and shot these on a Thursday and it was ALL my best friend Natasha and I could do to keep J from eating single every one before we had a chance to shoot them. I actually had to resist myself!
Every time I think back to those cookies, I smile because they represent so much more than just my favorite chocolate chunkers. I got them from an organization near and dear to my heart called Cookies for Kids Cancer. At my last job, I watched my coworker lose his two year old son Mitchell to pediatric cancer. It still breaks my heart still when I about it and it was the reason I reached out to Cookies for Kids when I first did. Tonight I want to use the platform I have here with you to bring awareness to their cause and the good that they are doing for children all over the country.
Who is Cookies for Kids?
Cookies for Kids was started in 2007 by Larry and Gretchen Witt when their son was Liam was diagnosed with pediatric cancer. Their organization raises funds for research that will develop new, improved, less toxic LIFE SAVING treatments for pediatric cancer. In a little over 10 years, they have funded 100 grants that led to 40 treatents in clinical trial now available to kids. Since 2008 they have raised over $15 million for the cause.
Here are the realities of childhood cancer and the reason Cookies for Kids does what they do day in and day out:
- Cancer is the #1 cause of death by disease for children in the U.S.
- 13,500 children in the U.S. are diagnosed with cancer each year.
- Every 3 minutes, a family hears the words, “Your child has cancer.” This one makes me want to cry.
- 40,000 U.S. children are actively battling cancer as we speak.
- The National Cancer Institute’s federal budget is $4.6 billion. Of that, the 12 major groups of pediatric cancers combined received less than 4%.
- 2 out of 3 pediatric cancer patients will develop long-term side effects- many life-threatening – as a result of the treatments they received.
- Only 4 of the 12 most common types of childhood cancers have average survival rates over 80%.
Cookies for Kids has done a lot but they will be the first to tell you how much work is still to be done.
During the Christmas season it’s so easy to get into a crazed ‘busyness’ between holiday parties, shopping for gifts, etc. but I think it’s important to step back and remember:
Somewhere out there, a child is fighting for her life.
Somewhere out there a parent who doesn’t know if his child will be here next Christmas.
Thinking about that breaks my heart and it’s reason I wanted to step aside from my own ‘busy life’ and share Cookies for Kids with you tonight.
How Can YOU help?
An easy way to support is purchasing Cookies as a gift for loved ones this holiday season. The important part is what the money is going to. A nice side benefit is those chocolate chunk cookies are GOOD you guys!
Another way to support is by donating directly to the page I have with Cookies for Kids here.
Let’s do more this holiday than just bring a smile through gifts. Let’s give a gift that gives. Maybe it will help some little child out there smile for the rest of his life because of it.
Love you guys and THANK YOU from the bottom of my heart for your support here!
Terra
I love how you’re giving back to the community! Thanks for sharing such a beautiful organization – it’s so important to me as well to give back, especially at this time of year!
Author
Thank you Kelly! So happy to hear you feel the same way!