2020 Mission to Muir!

In August of 2014 our grandson was admitted to Children’s Hospital in Seattle and had surgery to remove a cancerous tumor.

Our family was very fortunate in that everything went about as well as it possibly could under the circumstances, and after 6 months of chemotherapy he is a happy and healthy 9 year old boy with cancer in remission!

What made the entire process much easier and less stressful was the tremendous support and encouragement of a very close family and a wide circle of friends in the area. During our fortunately brief (one week) stay there, we observed how truly lucky we are when we saw that not everyone there had the level of support that we did.

Our family owes a tremendous debt of gratitude to the staff of Children’s Hospital for all that they have done, and one way to pay it forward is with the foundation that Briana and Jake have created called Footprints of Fight (footprintsoffight.org). Through this 501(c)(3) organization, they provide services (e.g. home cleaning, automotive help) and small amenities like gas cards or Starbucks cards to ease the burden on the family and create opportunities for moms and dads to have a break or to spend valuable time with siblings who may feel less special when a brother or sister is undergoing cancer treatment.

It costs roughly $4000.00 to provide these kinds of services to a family for a year, but it pays tremendous dividends in keeping them strong and unified while they fight this disease.

This summer, as a way to increase awareness of the organization and the struggles of families fighting pediatric cancer, I am participating in the Footprints of Fight climb to Camp Muir on Mt. Rainier.  Mt. Rainier is one of the toughest endurance climbs in the continental U.S., but carrying a pack up Rainier is child’s play compared to the uphill battle these kids and their families will face. Please take a moment to consider donating to help this very worthy cause. Thank you from the bottom of my heart.

“During your times of trial and suffering, when you see only one set of footprints, it was then that I carried you….”