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Posts Tagged ‘hat heroes’

This week we would like to honor two-year-old Johnathon Cahill, currently fighting stage 4 cancer.

This little boy is an inspiration to many.  A day after mother’s day this year, his family saw a lump bulging from his stomach.  After spending nearly a week in the hospital, doctors diagnosed him with a type of liver cancer called Hepatoblastoma.  This type of cancer only affects one in 1.5 million children.  The tumor covered 6/8th of Johnathon’s liver.  In August, doctor’s resected Johnathon’s liver.  Since he also had two small tumors on his lung, he was considered a stage 4 cancer patient.  He is currently undergoing chemotherapy, getting shots, and taking medications to beat cancer.

Johnathon’s sister, Sarah, describes her baby brother as a kid that refuses to sit in bed all day:

He gets right back up and plays with you.  Even when the chemo makes him unable to walk, he will sit on the floor and play through the pain.  Johnathon loves dancing and playing with cars and animals.  He has a strong personality that shines right through…and is a strong little boy who was born a fighter. While he’s in the hospital, he makes everyone smile.  The nurses told us that Johnathon is the reason that they love their job!  He’s inspired me to become an Oncology nurse and graduate a year early.

Sarah also says that some weeks are tougher than others.  This week, he starts chemotherapy at Columbia in NYC for his last three week round.  His family is incurring heavy medical costs, medication fees, as well as travel costs to get back and forth to the hospitals for Johnathon.

Johnathon’s name means “Gift from God” and he truly fits that meaning. Cancer won’t bully Johnathon, he will win this battle!

You can help Johnathon and his family!  First, check out his Hope for Johnathon facebook page set up by his sister, Sarah, and “Like” it.  Then head over to the fundraising page set up for him and his family and donate whatever you can to help out this brave 2-year-old.  Every little bit helps!

It’s obvious by looking at this little boy that he can light up a room, but he is also an inspiration to us at Hats Off For Cancer, making it easy to name Johnathon our HOC Hero of the Week!

If you know a child or teen who is battling or has battled cancer and you want to nominate them for our next HOC Hero of the Week, tell us about your hero and include photos and any links to their pages so we can support them!  Fill out the nomination form here: http://hatsoffforcancer.org/nominate-hero

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To kick off the start of September, and Childhood Cancer Awareness Month, we would like to honor our HOC Hero of the Week, Chris West.

Chris is a 14-year-old who has a probable relapse after fighting stage 4 Hodgkins Lymphoma last year.

 

Last year, Chris began complaining of arm pain and after many doctor visits, was told he had stage 4 Hogdkins Lymphoma.  In June, 2011, Chris had a port put in and started chemotherapy.

Chris was diagnosed during the last week of school in 2011.  Even though he spent his whole summer in treatment, he always had a smile on his face.  He kept that positive outlook the entire time.

Chris finished his chemo in October and finished radiation in December, 2011.  This past April, he was able to go on a Make-A-Wish trip, and celebrated his “End of Chemo” party in July, 2012.  He also got his friends together to fundraise for charities focusing on helping cancer patients.

Chris had to be home schooled last year due to treatments,  and was looking forward to going back to school this year.  However, after going for routine scans, only two days after his 14th birthday, Chris was told he had a probable relapse.  On what was supposed to be his first day back to school with friends, Chris had a surgeon consultation, and has his biopsy scheduled for September 10th.

Despite a relapse and returning to treatment and radiation looming over his head, Chris has kept his positive attitude.  He is scared and nervous, but focused on school work.

Please join us in praying for Chris and his family as they face cancer once again.  You can “like” his facebook page!  Help him get to 1,000 likes before he goes for his biopsy appointment on September 10th.

Chris, your selflessness coordinating fundraisers for charities to help others with cancer and your positive outlook are truly inspiring.  We are proud to name you our HOC Hero of the Week!

Check out Chris’s facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/prayersforchriswest

If you know a child or teen who is battling or has battled cancer and you want to nominate them for our next HOC Hero of the Week, tell us about your hero and include photos and any links to their pages so we can support them!  Fill out the nomination form here: http://hatsoffforcancer.org/nominate-hero

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We received this in our inbox from Brittany!  Please check out Alex’s web site.

My niece Alexandria (Alex) loved her Minnie Mouse hat!
The following is a link to her website with her story
https://www.wepay.com/donate/178864

Thank you to our donors and supporters that make Alex’s smiles possible as she shows off her new hat.

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HOC is one of the few great charities where we can all have a direct and tangible effect on the lives of others. In the most simplistic yet profound way we can give the gift of hope in a journey that sometimes breaks us, but with the outcome, that afterwords, we are stronger in the broken places. I feel so lucky to be a part of this”

Eric Christian Olsen

Actor Eric Christian Olsen donated his time to reach out to pediatric cancer patients in local Los Angeles hospitals.

Eric, known for his role on NCIS:LA as Marty Deeks and his starring role in the movie “Fired Up”, is also fondly remembered as Lloyd in “Dumb and Dumberer, When Harry Met Lloyd,” as well as many other well known movies.

When Eric learned about HOC he enthusiastically volunteered his time to visit pediatric cancer patients in the Los Angeles area. Along with bringing dvd’s and autographed photo’s for the patients to enjoy, Eric brought his quick smile, his unrestricted time, and his relaxed and easy way of connecting with the patients!

We are thrilled and honored to welcome Eric to our HOC family! To see what Eric is up to and where you can see him next on the big or small screen, check out his IMDB page online.

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We receive up to 3 daily personal requests for hats for kids battling cancer.  Typically, we fill these requests on the weekend, finding the perfect hat for each child, and sometimes 2 or 3 hats that we think they’ll love.  Today, we’re filling more than 20 personal requests sent in this month.  Each shipment costs us about $5 for postage.  These kids are so brave and we’re so thankful for our wonderful donors that help us help these kids.  Here are a few pictures of the children who have received our hats, and our shipments going out today!

Hats from the personal request online form going out to children fighting cancer!

Eric Christian Olsen volunteers with HOC and meets a cancer patient

Showing off his new hat!

Young Cancer Patient Shows Off new hat

Kamryn with her pretty new Disney princess hat!

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