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We Believe — Believe In Tomorrow provides exceptional hospital and respite 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.
September 2009 - in this issue
Saturday, October 3, 2009 |
Stacy London, from TLC's What Not to Wear to host 27th Annual Benefit and Auction
If you think the holidays are exciting – wait till you see the list of auction items we’ve been lining up for YOU to marvel at during our upcoming benefit and auction. There is something for EVERYONE, including fashionistas, history buffs, daredevils, explorers, classic rockers and sports fans.
Join Stacy London, host of TLC’s What Not to Wear and Style Correspondent for NBC’s TODAY Show, at Believe In Tomorrow National Children’s Foundation’s 27th Annual Benefit and Auction.
You can be fashionably late – but not too late to miss out on the chance to bid on one of a kind auction items, including a fashion consultation with Stacy London, one of America’s premiere style experts; a private tour of the newly renovated Ford’s Theatre Historic Site, including the opportunity to step inside the President’s Box; autographed items from baseball great Joe DiMaggio, to a behind the scenes tour of the National Aquarium in Baltimore, hosted by Philippe Cousteau.
Who Needs Nutrisystem When You've Got Baltimore's Battle of the Paddles
It’s more grueling than the Iron Man – longer than the Boston marathon – and crazier than the Polar Bear Swim. Its five men and one woman determined to kayak more than 166 miles in open water over five days, beginning September 21, in a challenge to raise $100,000 dollars for Baltimore-based Believe In Tomorrow National Children’s Foundation and increase awareness for the foundation's military initiative.
Nacho Mama’s and Mama’s on the Half Shell’s, Scunny McCusker and Max’s on Broadway’s, Ron Furman, are kayaking over 166 miles, from Quantico, VA to the finish line in Fells Point, in a bid that pits Canton, home of Mama’s on the Half Shell against Max’s, a Fells Point landmark.
Team Max's Leader Ron Furman has dropped a couple of pant sizes and about twenty pounds since he began training a few weeks ago. Word is even Delaware Dave, on Scunny McCusker's team Mama's is losing, thanks to his rigorous training schedule. Ron Furman continues to send Scunny McCusker a pie every Thursday afternoon, in an effort to sabotage his training "diet." When asked about his biggest trip concerns, Jason Mislan, from Team Max’s replied “Cramping, sharks, fatigue, sharks, exhaustion and I’m not sure if I mentioned sharks…”
Follow their fundraising progress and don’t forget to support your favorite team – GO TO www.believeintomorrow.org/battle NOW. At press time Team Max’s was strokes ahead in the fundraising effort …come on Team Mama Fans.
Believe In Tomorrow National Children’s Foundation provides exceptional hospital and respite housing for families with critically ill children. In addition to being the exclusive provider of hospital housing for the Johns Hopkins Children’s Center, Believe In Tomorrow has five destination driven respite facilities, families can utilize free of charge to rest, relax and recover from the trauma of a child’s critical illness. Two of the foundation’s respite facilities, The Believe In Tomorrow House on the Bay in Ocean City, MD, and The Believe In Tomorrow House at Pinnacle Falls, outside Asheville, NC, prioritize military families with critically ill children.
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Justin is pictured with his sister and bone marrow donor, Kaylin McJilton |
Three years and counting — our first guests at the Believe In Tomorrow House at St. Casimir
Two pivotal events converged in Justin McJilton’s life in the summer of 2006. He returned to the Johns Hopkins Children’s Center to receive treatment for his second bout with Leukemia; this time, instead of heading to the Believe In Tomorrow Children’s House to recover, Justin and his family headed to Canton to stay at the Believe In Tomorrow House at St. Casimir. They were Believe In Tomorrow’s very first guests to cross the threshold of this unique facility that offers long term housing for bone marrow transplant patients and their families.
Justin and his family stayed in the largest suite in what was at one time a convent, before the structure was totally gutted and reconfigured to accommodate up to seven families in fully equipped individual and private apartments. “Being at St. Casimir in Canton definitely made dealing with recovery easier for me and my parents. It gave us a semblance of normalcy and saved my parents a lot of commuting time between Baltimore and the Eastern Shore, especially during peak beach season,” Justin said in a recent phone interview.
Cash Bash in Canton — Only 6 Tickets Left!!
$10,000 Cash Bash — September 10, 6:00 - 10:00 p.m. Believe In Tomorrow will host an evening of harbor-side games and raffles at The Bay Cafe in Baltimore.
This event is a reverse draw so the person holding the last ticket to the last ball drawn will take home $10,000! Since only 225 tickets are sold, you have a 1 in 225 chance of winning $10,000! Five $500 cash prizes will also be drawn. Your $100 ticket includes admission, light fare and beer and wine specials. Call 410-744-1032 for tickets and more information.
Katie Steins (holding Christian) and Christian Frankenberg enjoy the game and Barcoding Inc's hospitality. |
Who turns down an invitation to the ballpark – NOT US. Canton-based Barcoding Incorporated invited Believe In Tomorrow families staying at St. Casimir to join them for an afternoon of fun at Oriole Park at Camden Yards. No, the O’s didn’t win – but we did! Everyone had a great time and we look forward to working with Jon Stroz, Carin Weiss and the folks at Barcoding in the future.
Families get VIP Treatment at Ravens Game
Thank you Jeff Elkin, John Shea and everyone at Advance Business Systems for creating such a memorable evening for a lot of kids and their families at the Ravens pre-season game at Raven’s Stadium in Baltimore. In addition to the pre-game tour of the field, getting autographs and photos taken with the cheerleaders, a surprise visit from the Raven’s Mascot – not to mention a swell football buffet, THE RAVENS WON! What a night. The smiles emanating from Advance Business System’s Skybox were far brighter than the lights in the stadium! Thank you Jeff, John and Advance Business Systems for your wonderful support.
In September he had major surgery on his right leg – removal of his distal femur bone and some tissue infected by the tumor. The bone was replaced by a stryker chromium cobalt hinged knee/femur. Physical therapy was then required along with several more rounds of chemotherapy, which we hoped would finish in February 2009. We did finish, but unfortunately Vincent was diagnosed with another tumor in his sacrum in April 2009. He has received several treatments of cyber knife and large doses of chemotherapy – again keeping him hospitalized for five to six days every two weeks...
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In June 2008, our youngest son was diagnosed with osteosarcoma (bone cancer). He went through many scans and a surgical biopsy, which then was followed with four months of chemotherapy, some visits kept him hospitalized for four to five days. A day at the beach is no walk in the park for a father & son duo…
What do you say to your 19 year old son when he asks you to join him in a run to raise funds for Believe In Tomorrow National Children’s Foundation? If you’re Mike Carroll, you say “I’m in” and then start upping your weekly mileage.
Mike’s son Tom challenged him to run from the beginning of the boardwalk in Ocean City, MD – to the Maryland/Delaware line, at 146th Street, a distance of about 10 miles. The duo raised almost $2,000 for Believe In Tomorrow in about 90 minutes. Tom’s Cousin Matt, who was in town visiting from Florida, biked the route, while Tom’s mom and friend Jillian provided drinks along the way and took the play by play photos featured in this article. In addition to great efforts like this one – the Carroll’s are responsible for the beautiful awnings at the Believe In Tomorrow House on the Bay, which prioritizes military families with critically ill children, and our main office in Catonsville.
Thank you Carroll family for your continued and faithful support!
Ready to tackle his second bike trek across North Carolina
What is it about Believe In Tomorrow National Children’s Foundation that inspires people to come up with creative, unique and challenging ways to raise funding and awareness for the organization? We could ask the four guys who trekked the Grand Canyon from rim to rim, or the Carroll’s, who recently ran from the inlet at Ocean City, MD to the Delaware line or Team Max’s or Team Mama’s, who are kayaking more than 166 miles in open water beginning September 21, OR we could ask Retired Army Colonel A.J. Ball, who is about to embark on his second bike trek across the state of North Carolina this fall.
Last year, the sixty two year old retired Army National Guard Colonel raised almost $30,000 for Believe In Tomorrow, by biking 452 miles across North Carolina in seven days. This year, he is upping the ante – and is determined to raise $50,000 during Cycle North Carolina’s Fall Ride, September 26 – October 3. The ride will begin in Blowing Rock, NC and end at Surf City, NC; approximately 470 miles. A.J. has been instrumental in the development of the Believe In Tomorrow House at Pinnacle Falls, the foundation’s second respite property that prioritizes military families with critically ill children. The house is slated to be open and ready to serve the men, women and families who honor us with their service to our country later this fall. To support A.J. or make a pledge, visit http://www.firstgiving.com/ncbikeride. Pledges are being matched by longtime BIT supporter, Bill Amick.