Ian’s last visit to the clinic

When we got to the clinic, everyone there immediately understood my outfit. I did the normal routine – the check in, the physical, and chemo. Then we had cake and talked. I was congratulated by everyone who saw me, whether they knew me or not. They were excited and happy for me, and I felt amazing.  

Celebrating with Cake

But hearing the congratulations from my doctors meant the most to me. The doctors got me here – they saved my life. Why was the person who saved my life congratulating me? I should have been thanking him! So I congratulated him on the fact that he didn’t need to care for me anymore and he said “my pleasure”. Those words are going to stay with me for the rest of my life.

Ian with nurse Sue at the clinic

Ian with Mom, Sue and Dr. Glod

View pictures from Ian’s blog articles.

I spent my first week of July at Camp Mak-A-Dream in Montana all thanks to Embrace Kids Foundation. This has been the third year going to the camp. Every year I go, I find myself more in love with the camp and the people. I love that truly blessed week.

Line Dancing at Camp Mak-A-Dream

During camp, there is a celebration of life where we talk about the people we have lost. I cried until my tear ducts ran dry. I was able to let it all out because I was with people who truly understood it – other cancer survivors.

Sitting around the campfire

I love this place. It’s the only place where I can be myself 100% of the time. There is never a dull moment at Mak-A-Dream. With activities like fishing, horseback riding, archery, high ropes, rock walls, zip lines, swimming, basketball, soccer, football, mini golf, billiards. Should I keep going? I can…I think I will.

Climbing the ropes

There are campfires, breakfast skits and lunch games, a movie night, Olympic games, trips to a water park and Philipsburg where we dug for sapphires, went to a play, and indulged our sweet tooth’s at a candy palace, there is a dance with a fantastic DJ, a banquet night where you can dress to impress, and a dozen other things that keep you busy for the entire week. On top of all of that, the food is absolutely amazing. By the end of camp you have developed relationships with your fellow campers, counselors, volunteers, and all the staff and works. Some so strong they will be for life.

Hanging Out

I have the greatest time of my life every time I go to this camp. It is the highlight of my year. I will go every year for the rest of my life.

Please check the Embrace Kids blog next week for part 3 of Ian’s Story.

Ian with Mom, Sue and Dr. Glod

My name is Ian Scheuerman, and I have recently taken a couple of huge steps in my life, including graduating from high school, beginning my first year of college, and completing my final treatment for leukemia. 

Walking at Graduation

I practiced for my high school graduation during the last week of school and I thought it was going to be as easy as pie. But when we arrived at the Sun Center, I was extremely anxious while waiting in those hot stuffy tunnels to be seated. When we finally were seated, it was a little scary how in every direction that I looked, there were hundreds of people staring down at us.

So I concentrated on the graduation speeches…

I was excited when the salutatorian got to the podium. We’ve been good friends with each other since freshmen year, so I was pretty excited to hear her speak. She started to talk about what our class has gone through over the years.

As I listened, I heard my name…she talked about me conquering my battle with Leukemia. I began to think about my cancer at that moment. I realized I was diagnosed at the beginning of high school and that I finished treatment the summer that I graduated.

I saw how high school and cancer have similarities.

You go through changes and different phases of your life and you face struggles and obstacles you won’t face any other time. The growth I had during that time was tremendous and I wouldn’t be who I am without them both.

Celebrating Graduation

Also they each helped me with the other. So I had to thank high school for getting me through cancer and I had to thank cancer for getting me through high school.

Later that night as I reflected on the day and laid down for bed, I became overwhelmed with the fact that it was finally over, and I cried.

They were the first happy tears that I ever had….

Please check the Embrace Kids blog next week for part 2 of Ian’s Story.

Emily - Dancing with the RU Dance Team

My name is Emily Amador, and I am a pediatric cancer survivor. I have just begun my sophomore year at Rutgers, and am a member of the RU Dance Team. The day of March 16^th 2010 changed my entire life and the way I see the world. I was always a positive person, pushing myself to be my very best at everything I did, but my diagnosis made me work that much harder to achieve my goals. Nothing would get in my way, even after my cancer diagnosis. I was diagnosed with Hodgkin’s Lymphoma during my senior year of high school. I was so worried that I wouldn’t be able to finish the end of my senior year, attend college, and continue my life as a dancer. Despite this setback, I managed to graduate on time and continue my career as a dancer at Rutgers University.

My diagnosis seemed frightening at the time, but it has helped me to cherish life and live it to the fullest. I was able to meet so many amazing people that got me through everything. Besides the support groups, family, and friends who were there for me from the beginning, dance helped me stay strong throughout my treatments and forget about all my fears. I was accepted to the Rutgers Dance Team right after my treatments ended, which was the perfect gift for being cancer free. I was so excited to represent Rutgers University by dancing at all the football and basketball games! The first time I stepped foot on that football field was the best feeling I had ever experienced.

Emily Performing at a Football Game

Cancer was something brought into my life that I cannot take back. Even though it was a struggle, I love where it brought me and how much of a better person it has made me become. Ever since I completed my cancer treatments and have been cancer free for over one year, I have volunteered and committed my entire heart and soul to helping charities who work with cancer patients. I have also had a very successful first year at Rutgers University, both academically and on an extra-curricular level. I have gotten to meet so many new people because of how big of a school it is and have made a sisterly bond with the girls on the Rutgers Dance Team who I spend time with each day.

Emily with Brian Leonard at the Rally at the Alley Fundraiser

Embrace Kids Foundation was the one charity that was there for me from the start. I jumped right into the fundraising events and activities that Embrace Kids had to offer and loved being a part of every single one of them. Not only does it feel great to be a huge help to the charity that had so much care and compassion for my family, but it also felt spectacular to see the smiling faces of the children who only want a normal life outside of a hospital. I got to experience this charity even before I became sick. My hometown dance studio would always participate in the Rutgers Dance Marathon and perform for the students who were on their feet for 32 hours raising money for children with cancer and blood disorders. I couldn’t help but quickly sign up for the Dance Marathon at Freshmen Student Orientation. I was so excited to be a part of it my first year and help out with advertising the event. I was honored to speak at the Dance Marathon to let the Rutgers students know how important this event was and that you never know what life will bring you. I shared my story and spoke much about Embrace Kids Foundation and left the room in tears. It felt so good that my story touched so many people and inspired those who did not know much about cancer.

Emily and Family

The only way to conquer cancer is to have a positive attitude the entire way. I am proud to be able to give back and let children know that if they can get through cancer, they can get through anything in the world. My diagnosis of cancer changed me and allowed me to cherish every moment and never give up.

View more pictures of Emily Amador

Running the Leadville 50

I should probably start with the basics. Hi guys, my name is Alex, I am an extremely proud 2010 Rutgers Dance Marathon and Chi Psi fraternity alumni, and recently I did something to raise money for Embrace Kids Foundation that most people would regard as a little crazy. I currently live in Breckenridge, Colorado and on July 17^th, I ran in the Leadville Silver Rush 50 Mile Trail Race. Leadville is a town not too far from Breckenridge. The race took me everywhere…from beautiful alpine meadows, to deep down forest paths, and way up to 12,000 feet on four separate occasions. I finished in 12 hours, 42 minutes, and 56 seconds, raised $740 for the kids, and I have to say that the race was legitimately the hardest and most rewarding thing I have ever done.

Rutgers grad Alex Guzzo running the Leadville 50

For approximately 4 months beforehand, I began to train specifically for Leadville by putting a lot of miles underneath my feet and getting my body used to the pounding it was going to take come race day. Moreover, for six months now, I have been avidly using a workout system known as CrossFit, which essentially combines cardiovascular training with weightlifting to create an extremely effective way to stay in shape. There were times where I worked out 3-4x a day, and even then, at no point was Leadville easy. Admittedly this race is not for everybody, out of 310 people who started, 279 finished and out of those 279, I finished close to the back of the pack at # 242. The course is designed in such a way that racers head out to the 25 mile mark, and come back via the exact same trail to the finish line.

Alex running the Breckenridge Mountains

Above all, when the race came down to gut check time, I remembered all the child patients who would give anything to have the energy to sprint 100 yards, let alone run 50 miles, and suddenly I wasn’t tired anymore. I will never forget being involved with Rutgers Dance Marathon and seeing some of the kids the program helps. When you look into their eyes, it instantly becomes apparent that every single one of them has an inner fire, a love of life that I have never seen anywhere else. They truly personify the oft-repeated adage “Size does not matter” because they are some of the toughest people I have ever met.

Endless Trails

Those kids were my inspiration while running some of the toughest sections and especially during miles 37-40 as that was in the middle of a 3 mile hill climb that seemingly did not end. By that point my pace had slowed to a walk but I kept moving, started to repeat “for the kids” in my head, which is the slogan and rallying cry of the Rutgers Dance Marathon. It took awhile, but eventually I crossed the finish line. Numerous people have asked me “How do you run 50 miles in the Rockies in one day?” and I have responded with the question “Well, how do these kids beat cancer?” The answer to both questions is as follows, a quote by Ferdinand Foch, the leader of the French Army during World War One: “The most powerful weapon on Earth is the human soul on fire.” I am honored to have run Leadville for Embrace Kids, and will never forget it. FTK (For The Kids)

The finish line of the Leadville 50

*****

Alex Guzzo’s fraternity, Chi Psi, participates in the RU4Kids Program, where a patient family is paired up with a student organization to encourage social interaction, support and plain old fun. Below is a link to a testimonial from the patient family that Chi Psi was matched with up with this year (Jonathan Volpe).

http://www.embracekids.org/our-families/volpe

View more pictures of the Leadville 50

After 16 rounds of chemo over 13 months and the amputation of her left leg, Kaela was free and clear of cancer. Of course this meant she would need physical therapy to regain strength that was lost due to her confinement in bed. After a year of working with physical therapist and close friend, Kaela regained enough strength to earn her independence again.

Kaela and family on the Disney Cruise

Kaela is a brave little girl and a beacon of hope to everyone who crosses her path. She continues to inspire others through the Make a Wish Foundation of NJ and Embrace Kids Foundation. Both organizations provide essentials to children with life threatening illnesses. Make a Wish made Kaela’s stay in the hospital especially memorable by granting her wish to go on a Disney Cruise when she left the hospital. Embrace Kids continue to support Kaela in the Rutgers Dance Marathon each year and other events like the annual Holiday Party held at RWJ Hospital, the Heel to Heal walk/run, the summer beach party and more.

Kaela with Mom at the Embrace Kids Beach Party

Today, Kaela continues to shine in school and extracurricular activities. She is an A+ honor roll student and loves to swim and play the piano. At parties, she loves to co-host and decorate. She is also quite the social butterfly and wears her battle scars proudly. I am so proud of her for everything she does and continues to do. She continues to amaze everybody even if it’s just the simple things like reaching the top shelf in the cabinet or getting to the end of the street without us holding her hand. I’ll keep you updated on her status and any and all achievements she has and will make.

Thank you for reading about our little sunshine and I hope you find hope in the courage we found in Kaela; The Survivor.

Kaela the Survivor

Click here to see an amazing video of Kaela’s journey.

Click here to see pictures of Kaela and her family.

Even brave Kaela was very nervous on May 30^th, 2007 when she was driven to CHOP (The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia) for the amputation of her left leg above the knee. As her older sister, I only wanted the absolute best for her. We learned just how many things would have to be modified or compromised due to the amputation and it was pretty shocking. Simple things like walking through the mall or taking an escalator would now be very risky.  

Kaela learning to use her new leg

In August of 2007, Kaela received her first prosthetic leg. Kaela wasn’t too thrilled about having to wear a fake limb, but warmed up to it after a year of us nagging her to wear it. Day after day, Kaela worked on her strut and balance. This was the hardest part, as Kaela is more into the look than the action, even today, she has her signature princess catwalk. I think she gets this diva aura from an inner strength that I envy and wish I had.

I remember the visits to the prosthetist very well. Kaela dreaded having people look at her stump and I completely understood. How would you feel to have someone poke and prod at insecurities and tell you everything wrong with it knowing very well that you can’t fix that which is already broken? Even today she and I exchange glances when someone brings up the whole leg situation. It’s really disappointing as a sister to know that your little clone, the one in your shadow, the one who wants to be like you can’t actually be like you. Kaela and I get ready every morning together and she always tells me the similarities between us, while the rest of the world only sees the differences.

Kaela with Dad at the San Diego Triathlon

Through a friend of our father, Kaela was introduced to the Challenged Athletes Foundation (CAF), which is a community of amputees and disabled athletes that support one another and hold marathons/triathlons annually for athletes interested in Olympic sports. Every year now, we go to San Diego to attend a kids run for Kaela. They have really helped us support Kaela’s athletic abilities. There are more kids than you think that are also amputees. It was a real blessing to us that there are kids just like Kaela that can connect with her and build up her self-esteem. Kaela is often asked to speak at CAF events and other functions about her story and every time she does, she usually gains the most attention. Kaela was provided a running leg by CAF recently and was very excited to flaunt it soon after.

Kaela the Athlete

Please check Embrace Kids blog next week for the 3^rd and final chapter in Kaela’s Story…

Click here to see another amazing video of Kaela’s journey.

Click here to see pictures of Kaela and her family.

Kaela’s story was written by her 15 year old sister, Destiny, pictured with Kaela…

Kaela with sister Destiny (age 15)

My little sister; Katherine (or “Kaela”) was diagnosed with Osteosarcoma in 2007 at the young age of 5.  Four years later, our little Kaela holds her head up high and smiles brighter than ever. Here is the story behind her bright shiny face and bubbly laughter.

Kaela before cancer

But first Kaela would need chemotherapy. Three chemo treatments were done between January and May of 2007. I remember being told about the severity of Kaela’s condition in a phone call…I was miles away and I was scared. A person who doesn’t have a personal connection to childhood cancer has no idea what it is like… You have this feeling of “what if?” all the time, and that feeling never leaves you. “What if something goes wrong?” “What if Kaela can’t handle it?” “What if I can’t handle it?” But Kaela has no fear. 5 year old Kaela’s innocence and belief that everything will turn out right is the one thing that kept her from feeling what the rest of us all felt. 

Kaela during treatment

After chemo, Kaela immediately began experiencing complications… abdominal pain and swelling, loss of appetite, and at one point, she had to have a feeding tube through her nose. Over time, Kaela’s hearing was damaged and she eventually lost her high pitch hearing; this is the reason why Kaela can be seen sporting her neat new hearing aids in her favorite color, light blue.

Christmas of 2007 was one of the scariest days my family had ever experienced. Kaela had heart complications stemming from chemotherapy and was left with a weak heart. Because of all the chemo and everything that was being done to her, we almost lost her. Her blood pressure was extremely low and she floated in and out of life/consciousness. Kaela was supposed to have a 17th round of chemo, but the doctors decided against it because her heart was so weak. Her cell count was very low and she was prone to every infection that she came in contact with. Our little brother Anton was 3 1/2 then and too young to comprehend that Kaela needed every amount of attention we could give her. Yet he was more than willing to give up his share of attention to help Kaela. We all had to give a piece of ourselves to ensure that she would live to see the next day. Kaela is my sunshine and means the whole world to my family…to almost see life taken away from a little child is terrifying. Fortunately heart medication and time pulled Kaela back from this particular crisis.

Kaela and family at the hospital

Every time Kaela came home from the hospital, we never completely unpacked. There were times when she would be readmitted the same day she came home because a fever sprung out of nowhere. She was (and still is) so weak from all the treatments, the scans and just the entire hospital atmosphere, that she was sick more often than not. Even just a runny nose or a tummy ache can cause worries, because they might be the symptoms of something worse. Kaela wasn’t the only one left with scars from her battle; it took a huge toll on our parents. Kaela is the baby in our family, though not the youngest, she is the most precious. Imagine what it would be like to have your little girl in the hospital, and know that there is nothing you can do, but hope and pray that she gets better. My parents faith was put to the test for 13 months, and for 13 months they never lost hope. Waiting is the one thing that our family hated. We were always waiting to get to a better time and place…when the black cloud of cancer would be lifted from our family. It was so hard to wait but in hindsight, this experience brought us closer together as a family and taught us never to take things for granted. When you are so close to losing everything, you cherish it more.

Please check the Embrace Kids blog next week for part 2 of Kaela’s Story…

Click here to see a beautiful video of Kaela.

Click here to see pictures of Kaela and her amazing journey.

Whenever I am asked to speak about Embrace Kids, I explain that “Embrace Kids is a community of great people brought together from all walks of life.” There are no divisions…just people united to assist children and to better their families. So we want the scope of the blog to be global and look forward to your ideas about articles and spotlights on extraordinary people.

Our inaugural blog article is “Kaela’s Story”. It is a 3 part story about a young girl’s extraordinary battle and triumph over bone cancer. It is a story of courage and inspiration. I hope you are as moved by it as I am.

Glenn Jenkins, Executive Director, Embrace Kids Foundation