Focus on Your Children - Matthew’s Mom, Heather
Matthew is an 8-year-old boy who will dive into a good book like the Goosebumps series and speed around the neighborhood on his bike. In June, doctors diagnosed him with a brain tumor. Heather, Matthew’s mom, tells how her other two children, Zoey and Nathan, deal with their brother’s illness as the family focuses on Matthew. When asked to describe cancer with one word, she chose “Fight.”
What is the hardest part of the cancer journey as a parent?
Seeing the fear in my son and his siblings when we discussed what cancer can do! There is the constant fear of knowing I could lose my son. His siblings miss him and me so much while we are away from home! It is hard for them to understand he is fighting a disease since he doesn't look sick.
How has cancer changed your family?
Cancer has given us a new outlook. At any moment cancer can change your whole life and take someone you love. We have learned to live every day to the fullest, always pray and have faith! We are praying it won’t take anything from his future, but once he was diagnosed with cancer we still fear that it will come back! We will fight with everything we have to give him the best future he can have!
Are there any particular ways Connor's Heroes helped support you and your family with any of the above struggles?
Connor’s Heroes have been amazing from the start! They gave my son his backpack after his brain surgery. He was grateful for the items inside! I was impressed by the love and thought put into the bag! Erin not only reached out to me to chat and be a source of comfort and support but personally delivered a Visa gift card to help with the financial burden!! We have not been able to attend any events, but we are looking forward to going soon and meeting other families fighting the same battle!
August 2018 Art Session
We had a small, but spirited art session. Tay and Savanna painted small canvas blocks with their favorite creatures of the ocean. Our volunteer artists will piece them together in a large-scale collage for someone special. Stay tuned to see the final art piece and the lucky person who will receive it.
2018 Music For Massey
Thank you to our friends at Napier ERA who gave a generous $18,000 to benefit pediatric cancer research. Jim Napier and his company supported pediatric cancer research for nearly 20 years through the annual Music for Massey concert. In a Facebook post, Jim said: "From our first year til now, we have raised nearly $350,000 for cancer research in our area." Money from Music For Massey will fund The Connor's Heroes Pediatric Cancer Research Fund.
In frame:
Dr. Gordon Ginder, Director of VCU Massey Cancer Center
Dr. Seth Corey, Children's Hospital Foundation Endowed Chair in Pediatric Cancer Research
Megan Napier- Napier Realtors ERA, 3rd generation Napier ERA realtor
Celia Tetlow, executive director of Connor's Heroes Foundation
Jim Napier, president of Napier ERA
Pic cred: Napier ERA Facebook page
Board Spotlight: Michael Barnett
Michael Barnett is the co-founder and CEO of Romp n' Roll, an international franchisor of children's play and learning centers. Discover how his entrepreneurial spirit complements a nonprofit like Connor's Heroes.
Q: What are you most passionate about when you think about Connor’s Heroes work, mission and impact?
A: I'm proud of the money we raise for research, but I love the work we do day in and day out on the local level. We support kids and families and hopefully make life just a little bit easier during a challenging time.
Q: What is your favorite experience so far with Connor’s Heroes?
A: This year was the fifth Heroes Art Ball I attended. I've loved all of them. To me, the Heroes Art Ball brings together what Connor's Heroes is all about.
Q: Why do you believe it is important to give back to your community?
A: Aside from an obvious answer like "it feels good," I believe what John F. Kennedy said, "To those whom much is given, much is expected." Specifically giving back to a local organization means you are not only helping friends and neighbors, but you can see first-hand the impact of your contribution.
Q: Why should others support Connor’s Heroes?
A: You should support Connor's Heroes because we make a difference in the lives of children and their families right here in Central Virginia at a time when they need us most.
For a complete list of CHF Board of Directors, visit www.connorsheroes.org/our-story/our-board-members
Today’s Helping Heroes: Sidney and Tallulah
Not one, but two young Helping Heroes dropped off goodies for our Heroes Bags and Backpacks: Sidney and his friends with The Homeschool Adventure Society of Central Virginia hosted a backpack drive and Tallulah celebrated her birthday by having her friends bring gifts for our heroes! How did they know what we needed? We have a supply list on Amazon. You should check it out. There are simple items you can purchase that will make a big difference to our families.
Local Foundation Spotlights Erin
Look who is this month's Help Somebody Hall of Fame. The Community Foundation for a Greater Richmond and ConnectVA recognized Erin for her working helping the families with Connor's Heroes. If you're a hero family or Connor's Heroes volunteer, you will recognize this smiling face. We are beyond lucky to have Erin on our team! Read her profile www.connectva.org
Ashland Barracudas
The Ashland Barracudas held their annual swim-a-thon. The swimmers raised $4,300 for the Jamie Hess Pediatric Bone Marrow Transplant Fund at VCU Massey Cancer Center. The fund is named after Jamie, a swimmer on the team who died from cancer in 2002. Jamie's mom Barbara accepted the donations from the team at their banquet. The swim-a-thon teaches kids that they can make a difference in the lives of other children while doing something they love, like swimming. On behalf of our heroes who are in treatment, thank you!!
Flying Squirrels 2018
We had a great night at The Diamond. Close to 50 of our Heroes, friends, and families came for the fun. There were fireworks, ice cream, hugs with Nutzy and a win for the Flying Squirrels! Our Hero Molly and her brother Books were really excited because this was their very first baseball game! What a wonderful memory you gave this family and everyone who came to the game.
2018 Christmas In July
December 25 is technically months away, but not at Connor's Heroes. Erin, Fran and Celia are gearing up for a week-long giving party at clinic. This week, Connor's Heroes will have big boxes overflowing with toys, games, crafts, books and much more. Children receive a bag and are invited to dive in and fill it up! Our wonderful volunteers will be in clinic throughout the week making crafts and we'll have lunch catered for families to grab-n-go. This is our biggest Christmas in July ever. Thanks to your support, we are making sure no child faces their cancer alone!
July 2018 Art Session
We had a great time together yesterday for our July Hero Art Session. Our Hero Art Sessions have become a popular program for our families. It is so popular that, thanks to your donations and our fantastic crew of volunteers, we host a session every month. It is an excellent example of how easy it is for you to be a hero to a child with cancer. Thank you to our wonderful partners at the Visual Arts Center of Richmond for hosting.