Life changes in an instant. It is Easter 2003. Our son, Les, recently turned 4. His right hand is shaking. He can't control the computer mouse. He gives up on his right hand. His left hand is now dominant. Something isn’t right!
Friday after Easter. Rady Children's Hospital Emergency Department. CAT scan in the middle of the night. Large mass in brain. Admitted to hospital. MRI Saturday morning. Meeting with brain surgeon Saturday afternoon. Brain surgery 7am Monday morning. 13 months of chemo and radiation soon follow.
10 years later. Les starts high school. Struggles to play sports. Needs help remembering things. What if there had been a different treatment? They are researching that?! More funds are needed? Hmmmm ... I have an idea ... BRICK!
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The mission of BRICK (Brain Research In Cancer Kids) is to improve the quality of life for pediatric brain tumor patients and survivors through the funding of brain tumor research carried out by Rady Children's Hospital-San Diego.
BRICK, which is directly connected to Rady Children's Hospital Foundation, is the fund raising group we started back in 2011. We have already hosted a comedy night and participated in the Shamu & You Family Walk put on by the hospital. What else can we do?
Funny how things come about. Grandma Sue wanted me to create an Etsy shop to sell her sewing projects. Grandma Amick wanted me to create an Etsy shop to sell her cards and paintings. Aunt Joanna wanted me to create an Etsy shop to ... Do you see a pattern here? My gifts and talents are in the organization and details. Everyone wanted me to do the "hard" work of getting the shops organized, while all they had to do is sit back and create. Well, I'm not so easily convinced. I countered by saying I would host an Etsy shop for BRICK and they could donate their items. They agreed, and BRICKshoppe was born. We have many more creative types in the family, I just need to convince them to get busy with their hobbies. Maybe if they are lucky, I'll still help them with their individual Etsy shops, but for now, I'm concentrating on BRICKshoppe.
If you have an Etsy shop and would like to participate, I've create an Etsy team called "Team BRICK". To be a member of Team BRICK, you agree to donate a portion of your profits from at least one of your listed items when it sells. The amount and the number of items you choose is up to you. Please tag your item with "Team BRICK" so that all can search for it.
The donation from your sale should be made at the following website which is directly linked to Rady Children's Hospital-San Diego Foundation and does not pass through BRICK's account. http://www.brick-brainresearchincancerkids.org/give.html
Please include "etsy" and your shop name in the company name on the online donation form.
Note to buyers- I can't control the other Etsy sellers within Team BRICK. I would hope that they are honest and follow through with their donation to BRICK after you purchase. You and I can monitor the donations at the above donation website if they choose to include "etsy" and their shop name.
Please convo me with any questions.