Today was one of those wonderfully full days—time spent visiting with my college friends, catching up, laughing, and enjoying being together. Summer is still going strong here in South Haven, Michigan, and I’m glad to be part of the BGGGW (Bowling Green Girls Gone Wild) week. And suddenly…it’s late! (We walked, went to the local Farmer’s Market, beach, lunch at a teammates house, and dinner at our Airbnb rental, talking, and lots of laughing). But I made a promise to myself t

Driving to Ohio yesterday was somewhat uneventful when it came to driving the same car as I had a month ago. Thankfully, my car drove as usual (I had car trouble last month on another trip to Ohio), but on the PA Turnpike, traffic for miles had to come to a screeching halt due to an accident headed Eastbound. The finish line kept moving…but arrived safely…the ultimate goal! Before heading out to pure Michigan for a BGGGW (Bowling Green Girls Gone Wild) long weekend get-togeth

Today’s post title is something I may ask a few more people in our orbit about: childhood cancer and beyond during September for Childhood Cancer Awareness Month 2026. When I called Sister Pat Parachini this evening about a mutual friend of ours who passed away this week, I had the opportunity to ask her the question above (or answer it). From Sister Pat, pastoral care at Georgetown University Hospital for six years, starting in 1997: “One thing I wish people knew was that yo

Act as if what you do makes a difference. It does. —William James For today’s Childhood Cancer Awareness Month post, I’m reaching back a couple of years to one of my favorite interviews. And who better to help us GO GOLD than someone who actually knows a thing or two about GOLD? Olympic gold medalist Dave Wottle won the 800-meter race at the 1972 Olympic Games in Munich—wearing that famous golf cap! I had the wonderful opportunity to interview Dave on the cross-country course

Being a sibling to a cancer patient is quite difficult. They miss out on having their sibling and parents at home more than they ever should have to endure—and probably endure way more things than I will ever fully know. Treatments have changed, and the COVID pandemic put the kibosh on many long hospitalizations, even when a sick child has low blood counts. That was never the case for our family, though I’m happy that kids can stay home way more in today’s childhood cancer wo

As our outdoor umbrella got whisked away from its back porch umbrella stand to our rooftop, pole facing up to the sky, and broken now, that's what Childhood Cancer felt like in the fall of 1996 for our family. However, we never let it stop us from moving forward every single day. Photo journaling was a way for me to cope with all the chaos swirling around sweet two-year-old Ryan once he was diagnosed and "firmly" planted at Georgetown University Hospital for weeks and months.

Today, February 4, is World Cancer Day. It’s a day shared around the globe as we honor the strength and resilience in both children’s and adults’ lives affected by cancer, along with their families and friends who stand by their loved ones as best as humanly possible. Let’s face it, cancer is not easy for anyone going through treatment, young or old(er), as it typically affects the body, mind, and soul, more than is imaginable. I was talking to my sister about this marked day