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We Believe — Believe In Tomorrow provides exceptional hospital and retreat housing services to critically ill children and their families. We believe in keeping families together during a child’s medical crisis, and that the gentle cadence of normal family life has a powerful influence on the healing process.
Letter from Believe In Tomorrow Founder Brian Morrison
Dear Friends, Families, Volunteers and Believe In Tomorrow Supporters,
As we begin the second decade of the 21st Century, I am grateful for your continued support. I must confess, however, I am frankly very concerned about the economic crisis and our ability to continue to maintain the level of support and services we provide families with critically ill children.
For the first time in my lifetime, I have witnessed the boarding up and closing of businesses that had once been thriving staples of neighborhoods and communities. I see families at the grocery store comparing whether they can afford to buy items that aren’t on special that week – and like you, I see the signs of our challenging times all around me.
It is with this concern about the challenging days ahead, I am writing to humbly ask for your continued monetary support for Believe In Tomorrow National Children’s Foundation. Your contribution – no matter how large or small, DOES make a difference to the families we serve.
Our families are facing the same challenges we all are facing these days, EXCEPT theirs includes mounting an all out offensive against their child’s life threatening illness and trying to stay ahead of increasing medical bills, while their work life is put on hold or drastically decreased during their child’s medical crisis. Not easy times – but your contribution does make it easier for our families to stay together while undergoing medical treatments and surgeries, or embrace a much needed respite at the beach or the mountains to escape the stresses of battling a child’s critical illness.
Our programs are vital to their success and YOU are vital to ours. Please give.
With thanks and all best wishes for a Happy and Healthy New Year,
Sincerely,
Brian Morrison
Founder & CEO
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*When families enjoy this type of experience at any of our respite facilities, it brings our mission to life and makes OUR dreams come true. Thanks to our sponsors, our volunteers and all of our supporters in Western Maryland who help our families create so many wonderful memories at the Believe In Tomorrow House on Wisp Mountain. – Brian Morrison, Founder&CEO |
A White Christmas at the Believe In Tomorrow House on Wisp Mountain
When the Willman family arrived at the Believe In Tomorrow House on Wisp Mountain on Christmas Eve, after their drive from St. Louis, MO, they were expecting to find a modest cabin in the woods. When they crossed the threshold – they knew it was anything but. Susan Willman exclaimed, “The house is incredible. We didn’t want to leave.”
Susan, her husband Andy and boys, Jaxton 9 and Jayson 7, were looking forward to relaxing and spending time together over the holidays, after battling Jaxton’s Leukemia for the past two years. When they arrived at the Believe In Tomorrow House on Wisp Mountain, they decided to continue to honor certain family traditions, like ordering Chinese carryout on Christmas Eve and watching The Polar Bear Express, but this year on the Wisp Home’s big screen TV, with the Bose surround sound system. They were also determined to create new traditions as well, since Jaxton had been in the hospital the past two Christmases.
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The new traditions the Willman’s created during their respite at the Believe In Tomorrow House on Wisp Mountain include, skiing, taking an early evening walk in the snow when everything is quiet and still, reading and playing games by the gas fireplace and enjoying every moment together.
Susan said the experience was “…a wonderful memory we will have for life. With our medical bills, we don’t have any additional funds for extras, let alone vacations. This time away was tremendous for our family.”
Continue Reading Gearing up for Believe In Tomorrow's 14th Annual Port to Fort 6K Walk/Run
New Year’s Resolutions Aside – It’s time to start training for Believe In Tomorrow’s 14th Annual Port to Fork 6K Family Run/Walk
Forget about those arctic temperatures – that frigid wind chill – and the ice and snow -- and START channeling spring. Believe In Tomorrow’s 14th Annual Port to Fort will be here before you know it – regardless of what the groundhog sees or doesn’t!
Help us top last year’s attendance, military participation and fund’s raised. Ask your co-workers, friends, service organization and military friends – to join ranks to raise awareness and funding for Believe In Tomorrow National Children’s Foundation. Tell your friends on facebook to become a fan – e-mail your family – call your cousin – ANYTHING that will help us get the word out about Port to Fort.
See you at 9:00 AM SHARP at the start line on Sunday, April 25, 2010, at the Baltimore Museum of Industry. Eleven year old Alex Van Valkenburgh has already signed up to run in Believe In Tomorrow’s Port to Fort 2010 – and his goal is to raise 3K, to top the 1K he raised in 2009. He is also running to honor his dad, who is serving his second deployment in Afghanistan.
Click on the link below to register and get more information.
Believe In Tomorrow Families Take to the Skies Courtesy of Wind Creek Casino & Hotel Blimp
Wind Creek Casino & Hotel Blimp is taking to the skies along the Gulf Coast in an effort to raise awareness and funding for Believe In Tomorrow National Children’s Foundation’s respite housing initiative. The foundation is targeting the Panhandle as a prime area to focus our respite housing expansion, particularly for members of the military with critically ill children.
Families with children battling a life threatening illness are invited to ride the blimp, which is by invitation only, as part of Believe In Tomorrow’s Hands on Flying Adventures. Strategic partnerships with companies like Wind Creek enable Believe In Tomorrow families to experience once in a lifetime opportunities that inspire them to believe in tomorrow.
Additional seats on blimp flights are being auctioned off to the highest bidder, to secure a financial foundation for the intended acquisition of a Believe In Tomorrow respite facility in the Florida, Alabama and Mississippi Coastal region of the United States.
St. Casimir The Matney's Story
The Believe In Tomorrow House at St. Casimir Offers a bit of Normalcy – in a situation that’s anything but…
When Tanner Matney was born on Thanksgiving Day, 2008, his parents were naturally thrilled. About four months into his young life, Tanner began to develop a rash over his entire body, was vomiting and had diarrhea. After too many blood tests and biopsies to count, Dr. Bernard Cohen, a pediatric dermatologist at Johns Hopkins Hospital discovered what was happening with Tanner. The Matney’s world changed in an instant, when Tanner was diagnosed with IPEX, an auto-immune deficiency disease that only affects male babies. The disease is so rare; Tanner is the 50th known documented case in the world.
Upon receiving this news, and learning that Tanner’s treatment would require a bone marrow transplant with long term observation and close access to Johns Hopkins Hospital, the Matney’s searched the Baltimore area for a rental property because the drive from their home in Mt. Airy, MD was out of the question. What if Tanner became sick – what if he had a fever and needed to be rushed to the hospital, with traffic, unpredictable weather and the potential for accidents, the Matney’s HAD to stay near the hospital. With rental payments as steep as home mortgages, the Matney’s were seeking options – and then they found out about the Believe In Tomorrow House at St. Casimir, which has been their home during the past few months, as doctor’s continue to monitor Tanner’s blood counts.
Tanner’s mom and bone marrow donor, Kim, said, “Staying at the Believe In Tomorrow House at St. Casimir, has enabled us to retain some semblance of normalcy for our family and manage expenses. We can cook meals in our kitchen, lounge together in our living room – and then go back to our rooms to sleep. It’s great, especially considering we even looked into staying at a hotel, which is way too expensive and you can’t do those things because of limited space.”
The family also appreciates the support the residents at the Believe In Tomorrow House at St Casimir receive from the community. Kim added “The Canton area is terrific. In nice weather, we take walks with Tanner by the water and feed the ducks, which he absolutely loves. It gives him an opportunity to learn new things and observe a bit of the world around him – outside of a hospital setting. If we ever win the lottery, Believe In Tomorrow has volunteers for life.”
Volunteer of the Month
Volunteering and then some (The Lane Company)
We have a baseball team – but this was…
A legion of volunteers. When we received a call from the Lane Company, a nationally known and highly regarded real estate and property management company, about offering one of their luxury apartments for our families to utilize during their child’s medical treatments, we were impressed – and even more so – when they told us they would appoint and furnish the unit -- but when they told us they wanted to introduce their employees to Believe In Tomorrow National Children’s Foundation by volunteering a full day of their time during the holidays at the Believe In Tomorrow Children’s House at Johns Hopkins – we were blown away.
From washing windows, to deep cleaning several units – to installing almost ten new bathroom sinks and vanities – to cooking meals to freeze for our families – to bringing in a 10 foot tall Christmas Tree and trimming it – to baking delicious desserts and holiday treats – to clearing away old landscaping and vacuuming throughout the house, the Lane Company Associates impressed all of us and left the house sparkling from top to bottom. And can we tell you about the smell of fresh baked cookies and desserts!
Thanks to Lane’s Maryland team for your enthusiasm, energy, support and terrific work.
The families staying at the Believe In Tomorrow Children’s House at Johns Hopkins on December 17, received a surprise visit from Baltimore City Fireman, who surprised our guests by pulling right up to the front of the house and entered loaded down with their gear, presents and tee-shirts for all.
Thanks to all of the firefighters who put their lives on the line to save our lives and property, and especially those who stopped by to say Happy Holidays to our guests:
Jim McCafferty
Tom Tosh
Raymond Devinbill
Justin King
Josh Wodka
Donald Schafer
Michael Hineline
Cheyenne Hammer
David Goldman
Letter from 13 year-old Delani Noel (Christmas Beach Respite)
4K Donation from Stephen Decatur NHS Students
NHS Students at Stephen Decatur High School Honor Believe In Tomorrow AGAIN – with Substantial Donation
For the fifth consecutive year, the Stephen Decatur High School National Honor Society made a donation to Believe In Tomorrow National Children’s Foundation. The students raised $4,000, the highest amount yet, during one of the Eastern Shore’s most celebrated events, Bike Week. The officers of the NHS said they went all out to raise as much money as possible, in an effort to “…set the bar for future classes.”
“In order to gain admission into the NHS at Stephen Decatur High, students must exhibit strong leadership skills, accountability and a strong sense of service, in addition to maintaining outstanding grades,” said Mary Berquist, NHS Advisor.
The students converted their school parking lot – into a lot for bikers, during Bike Week this past September. The school is located close to a Harley Davidson Dealer, which becomes the place to be when bikers from all over the East Coast converge to celebrate all things chopper related. The students manned the parking lot entrance to manage traffic flow, ensure biker’s knew about the additional parking AND secure donations from the riders. Thank you NHS Seniors and Best Wishes from all of us at Believe In Tomorrow.