Have a picnic June 17th to help a little girl in chemo
Our mantra at Socialnomics is Social for Social Good. A mother (Holly Schopp) reached out to us, and you, our community, with a simple request to help her little daughter, Roxie. As a father of two young girls myself, this request touched my heart, and I hope it does the same for you. I’ve posted the letter from Holly and Roxie’s story below, and yes I will be having a picnic this Father’s Day and will be wearing my Team Roxie t-shirt and sharing it socially. I hope you enjoy a picnic with your loved ones and share your support of the Roxie’s of the world.
Dear Erik:
Our daughter Roxie was a healthy and happy child, then in a routine check-up she was diagnosed with Neuroblastoma, the most common cancer in infancy. Close to 50 percent of neuroblastoma cases occur in children younger than two years old. Between 20% and 50% of high-risk cases do not respond adequately to induction high-dose chemotherapy. Our little Roxie is currently undergoing Chemo (Day 5 post below).
Roxie is currnelty going through chemotherapy in her battle against Neuroblstoma
Our hopes are high that she is one of the survivors. Roxie may be small, but she is a fighter. Our community has rallied around Roxie and have been wearing Team Roxie T-Shirts in support of our little girl and the fight against Neuroblastoma.
So here’s my big favor- are you ready for it- you may not be up for the challenge, Ok here it goes…
I am asking you to have a picnic with your family. Nothing big, nothing fancy, we’re talking sheet on the ground in your own back yard – or do it up high style at a park with a pavilion, whatever works for you. June 11-17 is International Neuroblastoma Awareness Week and on the schedule for June 17th is a global invitation to sit down with your family for a picnic.
Well, we can’t. So please, in an effort to help bring awareness to neuroblastoma, have one with your family for me. Take a picture, throw it up on Facebook & Twitter and in the caption write my mantra- KNOW Neuroblastoma/NO Neuroblastoma. Maybe if you have time, do a little research and include a high risk neuroblastoma fact under “KNOW Neuroblastoma/NO Neuroblastoma”. Then share it. If even one person in your network does a little searching after seeing your picture because they’re not sure why you’re talking about neuroblastoma or what it even is, they will learn of it and understand why it needs to be gone. It will start a conversation and we’ll have accomplished something huge together.
My family and families like mine need your help getting the word out.
Say it with me! “KNOW Neuroblastoma/NO Neuroblastoma”
The Community Rallies Around Team Roxie's Infectious Spirit with Team Roxie T-Shirts
Chemo Treatment:
Roxie was kind of happy to be back at the hospital. She loves all of her cards on the wall. I am so happy I took the time to do that. It was therapeutic for me and I didn’t even think about how I would be positively affected by rereading the cards as I was hanging them. It truly put me in the right frame of mind and reminded me that there are so many people who’s lives are being touched by Roxie. I had also underestimed how many cards we had. Rema (Roxie’s nurse-who btw is wearing her Team Roxie tshirt today) and Jess (one of Roxie’s favorite
techs-who btw was wearing her Team Roxie shirt yesterday) both helped me hang some of the well wishes. We had only made it through about a 1/4 of the box when the wall was already covered. You all have sent us so much love. Where I had been intimidated once before, after I had posted the cards, I left to head back home to grab Roxie felling like, “we got this.”
2nd day of chemo and this is the first time I’ve sat down. The dr tells me Roxie could be feeling poorly in the next day or two, so until then-we’ve got her up and moving!
We started this morning with playing drums in music therapy(Roxie told Ms Christy all about Dinosaur Train and Ms Christy told Roxie about the song “everybody walk the dinosaur” and now Rox is obsessed with listening to it on the ipad-boom, boom, akka lakka lakka boom), then child life came and played Plato, then we had bath/water play time, a dressing change, a visit from Ms Kim (our home healthcare nurse), then occupational therapy came and worked with scissors and a big puzzle, then lunch and now we’re with the physical therapist whose using all kinds of clever tricks to get her to stretch and exercise.
We’ve got a calendar up for hospital staff and friends to start filling in times for future visits. Roxie is still eating well and in a fabulous mood. Today is a very good day!
Love, Holly
Captain of Team Roxie
http://teamroxie.weebly.com/
I have had many people ask if they could send a card to Roxie while we’re admitted and the answer is, Yes! She really does love receiving mail. Our address here is:
Roxie Schopp
St. Louis Children’s Hospital
1 Children’s Place
9th Floor, BMT 5
Saint Louis, MO 63110
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