Why I support St. Jude:

Madison's story:

On August 14, 1998 our first child was born - a beautiful baby girl who Jim and I were already so in love with. Madison came into the world with some medical complications and was admitted to the NICU. When she was three days old, the Neonatologist noticed that Madison was not urinating and that her left foot had little muscle movement and tone. This began the process of trying to figure out was happening with our newborn daughter A MRI revealed a large mass in her abdomen. Madison was transported to OSF Peoria and it was here where St. Jude entered our lives. When Madison was 7 days old she had surgery to biopsy the tumor. We were told by St. Jude that Madison had Neuroblastoma, cancer of the central nervous system and that her tumor encompassed her abdomen and made its way into her spinal canal, thus comprimising her left foot and bladder due to nerve damage. Madison and her tumor had been growing together in utero. To our shock, it was an 8 in a million chance to be born with cancer. I remember being in the room as Jim and I were told this by a St. Jude physician named Dr. McCallister. As we sat in utter disbelief and fear and as my sister in law frantically took notes, Dr. McCallister explained the treatment protocol: Madison would undergo 3 rounds of chemotherapy which would shrink the tumor and then she would have surgery to remove what was remaining. While really not processing all of this information, what I do remember is hearing the words "St. Jude" and just knowing we were where we were meant to be. Our sweet baby girl received her first dose of chemotherapy at the tender age of 8 days old. Madison's treatment did not go as hoped and after completing three rounds of chemotherapy, her tumor had only shrunk minimally and thus three more rounds of chemotherapy were recommended. Once again the treatment did not go as hoped and 66% of her tumor remained. St. Jude recommended surgery to remove her tumor and this was scheduled for March 17, 1999. We arrived to the hospital knowing the surgery would be lengthy as her Neurosurgeon expected to be in Madison's spinal canal for a long time with the hope to not cause further nerve damage as the tumor was extracted. Then, Madison would be flipped over so that Dr. Pearl, general surgeon, could remove the tumor remaining in Madison's abdomen. We expected a 6-7 hour surgery. To our great surprise, after approximately only 2-3 hours, the Neurosurgeon came into the surgical waiting area to tell us that the "tumor is no longer there"! He could see where in Madison's spinal canal the tumor was as her nerve bundles were pushed to the sides. He said Dr. Pearl was now in Madison's abdominal area. Dr. Pearl also came to tell us there was no sign of tumor! Our many prayers for Madison to become cancer free were answered! Madison's St. Jude physicians explained that Madison responded differently to her chemotherapy and that she had more of "bam!" effect where her tumor was eliminated at once rather than a slow progression over time. No matter what or why, St. Jude had saved our daughter's life!

The above is Madison's story. The part it doesn't describe is just exactly the impact St. Jude had on our family's life. St. Jude provided all the HOPE in the world. One of her St. Jude doctors, Dr. Savings, said that while Madison was very, very sick, they knew exactly what to do to take care of her. St. Jude worked with Jim and I so that we could bring our baby home and live a life between chemotherapies that was as close to normal as possible. All of the financial burden was completely removed by St. Jude so that we as Madison's parents could focus on taking care of her, loving her, and raising her. I would literally bring stacks of bills and hand them to the St. Jude secretary Sandy when we would visit clinic. Jim and I had access to medical supplies to take without charge to clean Madison's central line. Clinic days were full of life and so much fun - I remember looking longingly at a three year old riding a scooter in the hallway and a doctor saying to me "one day soon you will be watching Madison do the same thing!". We were supported in ways I cannot describe and Madison was treated like a precious angel by every single person.

"Baby Madison" as she was tenderly referred to by her St. Jude nurses will never remember this journey to become cancer free, but Jim and I will never forget. 25 years has now gone by and while certain memories are fading over time, most have not as they are burned into the core. It is this reason that our family does the St. Jude Run each year. This year Madison celebrates being cancer free for 25 years, Jim and I celebrate participating in a St. Jude Run for 25 years, and Logan will be able to join us and run this year as well so that the family we have created can continue to give back in thanksgiving for HOPE and LIFE.

I hope Madison's story encourages you to donate to my fundraising. It is the givers that keep St. Jude working around the clock to eliminate childhood cancer. It is the givers who before Madison was ever born made it possible for her to live. Our family thanks you as well as the families who are currently fighting childhood cancer.