This is Annie with me at our rehearsal dinner. Who's the cute guy smiling at us in the background? ;)
After finding a cantaloupe sized tumor named Harold in her abdomen last July, Annie was finally diagnosed with an extremely rare form of cellular Cancer.
This happened JUST before our wedding, but she was still able to stand by us on our special day before she began treatment. It was incredibly special. Isn't she STUNNING?
She went through 6 rounds of preventative chemo, which she was assured would leave her good as new. Her scans were clear in April and she started to rebuild her life again, Cancer free. She even came to visit Seattle. She LOVED the fish (and the guy selling them)! But Annie seemed to know that things weren't ever quite right.
The first week in June, Annie rushed to Mayo hospital in Rochester, MN in horrible pain, which finally led to the discovery of 5 new tumors. Chemo season two, round one is scheduled to begin this week.
It's sad and scary and extremely stressful, all emotions which are multiplied by the fact that I am so far away. Luckily, I am just one small part of Annie's HUGE support system and group of amazing family and friends. We've come up with some fun ways to support her as she beats Cancer again.
Meet the Flat Annies! I helped to create and organize a Flat Annie program, inspired by my Flat Friends program that I used at church this winter. People all over the place are sharing their adventures with Flat Annie, taking pictures for proof, and then sending them along with notes, cards, and letters to REAL Annie. Cancer may have knocked her Flat, but Flat Annie will keep living it up, until real Annie bounces back!
So far, I've taken Flat Annie to the Ministry Faire at church and with me babysitting. No, I was NOT a Disney Princess. It's a Renaissance costume!
Here's Annika. She made her own Flat Annie, and her baby sister Rachel and I posed with her.
We're also selling Team Annie T-Shirts like the ones the Flat Annie's are wearing. Let me know if you are willing to buy one; all the proceeds go to Annie and her family.
The best way to keep up on all the news and information about Annie and how to help is to join the Flat Annie Facebook Page and read her Blog.There are many more ideas to show support and love for Annie in every way in the works, so stay tuned.
No comments:
Post a Comment