Michael William Sparkman was born October 11, 2001 full of love, life and a zest for knowledge. His affection for reptiles, especially frogs, began at a very young age. Throughout his brief childhood, he loved like he lived...fiercely. At 6 years old, after limping for a couple of weeks, I took Michael to an orthopedic doctor, convinced that he may have twisted his ankle. At that point, I was not very concerned, given that he was a typical, vivacious young boy. However, when the doctor returned with his x-rays and a stunned look on his face, I instinctively knew that my life was about to dramatically change forever. Michael was diagnosed with cancer and so began our unfathomable nightmare as we immediately began the typical protocol and testing. A few days later, the doctor smiled and seemed relieved to tell us that, “It’s just Lymphoma. He should be in remission in 6 weeks.” After the initial testing was done 1 month into his treatment, things seemed to be going in the right direction. All the tumors had shrunk significantly, though there was still some activity in the knee which was the primary location. We were assured that this was nothing short of miraculous to have such significant progress in just 4 weeks. We were very hopeful at that point that we would in fact achieve complete remission. Treatment continued and there was a delay during intensification stage due to low blood counts. Again, we were assured this was completely normal and not to worry. After a 5 week delay, treatment continued. Within 2 weeks Michael started limping again, the pain was so bad, I though he may have broke his growth plate which is where the primary tumor started. After x-rays were done, it was determined there was nothing wrong with his bones, and we were referred back to his Oncologist. We were readmitted that day for more testing, they were afraid the cancer was again spreading. Our worst nightmare was confirmed that night. It was July 19th 2008, and we never left the hospital again. Six months later, on October 21, 2008, ten days after his 7th birthday, Michael’s life was taken by the cancer. Throughout his ordeal, our smart, loving and beautiful son touched the lives of many others with his sweet demeanor and precious personality. It is our mission to raise both money for families facing pediatric cancers and awareness of this horrible disease. Please help us honor Michael’s spirit by making a donation. … [Read more...]

Hope Violet Fimiani was born August 28th, 2006 with Down Syndrome and a heart defect. Despite the negative things we had read about Down Syndrome, our anxiety was eased the moment she was born. We fell in love with her instantly. At 3 months old, Hope endured surgery to repair a hole in her heart. Her recovery was swift and we were relieved to have this difficult time behind us. We thanked God for having blessed us with the gift of our precious baby girl. Hope continued to grow and surprise us with her unique personality and happy disposition. She was always beaming and her beautiful smile had an impact on everyone she met. Her love of books and interaction with others demonstrated how very smart she was. At 18 months old, Hope’s routine visit to the pediatrician for what appeared to be a simple rash on her legs would change our lives forever. “Your daughter has Leukemia.” The words rang in my ears and the thought broke my heart. Tests confirmed that Hope had AML Leukemia, the much more aggressive of its counterpart, ALL Leukemia. She began chemotherapy immediately and for the next 6 months, Hope fought for her life while remaining in the hospital. After a brief remission, the cancer returned with a vengeance and we had to face the reality that it was not going away. Despite her terminal illness, Hope remained happy and constantly smiled so that everyone who cared for her fell in love with her. She never compromised her personality and inner beauty to the cancer. She read books, smiled and played until the last day of her life, October 13th, 2008. We will forever miss and love Hope and know she is our beautiful angel in heaven, smiling down on us all. She was not a typical child with Down Syndrome, nor was she a typical child, either. She was living HOPE that we would make this world a better place- -one that is caring of others and cancer free. Our mission is to ensure that Hope continues to touch lives by helping those who are faced with this terrible disease and make others aware of it. With your help, I know we will make a difference in the lives of many. … [Read more...]