Histio In The Headlines

We wanted to highlight several recent stories about brave histio warriors who are currently battling against histiocytosis:

Maya Chamberlin
A Brother Requests A Helping Hand For His Little Girl

Isaac Clary
Illness Inspires Boy To Collect Toys For Children In Hospital

Taylor Ehrens
It's Been A Tough Year

Jalaya Farrington
Mom Wants Disney World Escape For Daughter

Tania Haake
Providing Free Camps To Kids Living With Cancer

Jessie Woodford
A Season Of Wishes

Click on the story titles to read more about these brave children. Learn how you can help in the fight against histiocytosis and find more information on the Histiocytosis Association of America website.

Help With Holiday Cards

We wanted to provide links for holiday cards that you can purchase which will support several great causes and help to raise awareness along with spreading season's greetings:

Holiday Cards (Alex's Lemonade Stand Foundation)









Connor's House Holiday Cards (Connor's House)







Rainbow Kids Cards (Rainbow Babies & Children's Hospital)











Imagine A Cure Holiday Cards (Histiocytosis Association)


HAPPY HOLIDAYS!!!

Jake Olson: A True Inspiration

Twelve-year-old USC fan Jake Olson had his left eye removed at age 1 due to retinal blastoma. Over the next decade, Jake faced eight relapses and beat cancer each time. However, when the cancer returned for a ninth time, his right eye did not respond to chemotherapy, radiation or any other treatments. Jake's doctors determined that his right eye would have to be removed, thus sentencing him to a lifetime without sight.

Before he lost his eyesight, Jake wanted to see one more USC game to take that image with him into surgery. Coach Pete Carroll and the USC Trojans responded by granting Jake's final wish before he lost his sight. What started out as tickets to a game has turned into a relationship with the Trojan family that Jake says is helping him endure his battle.

Jake's story was profiled on ESPN College Gameday this past Saturday and is something truly worth watching to make you feel grateful and inspired.

Giving Thanks For Helping Histio Heroes

We wanted take time to recognize and express our enduring gratitude to Dr. Ken McClain and the Histiocytosis Program at the Texas Children's Cancer Center for really making a difference in the fight against histiocytosis.

The Histiocytosis Program at the Texas Children's Cancer Center, is associated with Texas Children's Hospital, the largest pediatric hospital in the United States, and serves as the pediatric program of The Dan L. Duncan Cancer Center, an NCI-designated cancer center at the Baylor College of Medicine

The Histiocytosis Program Director, Kenneth L. McClain, M.D. Ph.D., is the past president of the Histiocyte Society and has been treating patients with histiocytic disorders for over twenty years. He sees over 100 new LCH and HLH patients per year, and has over 400 active patients in the clinic. Dr. McClain is one of only a few physicians in the world researching a cure for children with histiocytosis.

The Histiocytosis Research Laboratory, through the dramatic increase in the number of patients, has been able to develop and expand clinical trials of innovative therapies and leads the world in research of LCH, HLH, JXG, RDD, and ECD. The clinical experience developed, coupled with the basic research studies involving with rare biopsy and other tissue samples, provides the unique opportunity to establish clinical and biologic correlations that no other center in the world can.

The Histiocytosis Program needs additional support support to expand its ongoing research efforts and to pursue additional state-of-the-art investigations that will lead to discoveries which will expedite development of more effective and innovative therapies for histiocytic disorders.

Please contact Mike Golding or Don Johnson if you are interested in learning more about how you can help Dr. McClain in the fight against histiocytosis.

Histio Heroes And Angels In The News

We wanted to highlight several recent stories about brave histio warriors who are currently battling against histiocytosis and histio angels who continue to inspire others :

Jacob Baltz
Pocahontas Parish Rallying Around 1-Year-Old And His Family

Gavin Shaw
"Superhero" Gavin Inspiration Behind 2 Day Blood Donor Clinic

Enda Walker
X Factor Stars Help Sick Children

Click on the story titles to read more about these brave children. Learn how you can help in the fight against histiocytosis and find more information on the Histiocytosis Association of America website.

Liam's Lighthouse Foundation Holiday Ornament Fundraiser

We wanted to share some information from Michelle Schulze about about a great holiday fundraiser being organized to support Liam's Lighthouse Foundation, which has been started in honor of her son Liam who recently lost his courageous battle with Hemophagocytic Lymphohistiocytosis.

I have been working nonstop on Liam’s foundation. I have started the ball rolling with all the necessary paperwork. I haven’t had a chance to get the website off and running yet because I have been diligently working on Liam’s first fundraiser for his foundation. I thought since Christmas was right around the corner, we would start with a small fundraiser.

I have made lighthouse ornaments in honor of Liam’s Lighthouse Foundation. I thought when people would see the lighthouse hanging from their tree this year and every year from now on, they would remember our brave little warrior and how he is still shining even though he is now an angel in Heaven. I have spent many, many hours making them and really have put my heart and soul into them. Nothing would make me happier than to receive requests for these lighthouses, knowing that Liam’s story will be apart of their Christmas tree.

Knowing that people will continue to remember a 20 month old little boy and the number of lessons he has taught us all, brings tears to my eyes. Not only is it a fundraising opportunity for his foundation, but I would feel beyond honored that these lighthouses will be hanging in others’ homes.

The lighthouse ornaments will be sold for $7.00 each and are tax deductible. If you would like an ornament, please send your check payable to:

Liam’s Lighthouse Foundation
5818 Charlois Ct.
Colorado Springs, CO 80922

Rainbow Radiothon

The WDOK 102.1-FM Rainbow Radiothon was held on November 12 and 13. This year's radiothon raised raised $325,011 to benefit the family and child life programs at Rainbow Babies and Children's Hospital.

In its seventh year, and first with WDOK, the Radiothon has raised a total of $2.5 million in donations. Radiothon celebrates all the kids at Rainbow who are fighting difficult health challenges, as well as the generous people who have supported these children through their donations, time, and passion.

Tanner's Obituary

We are posting the following obituary that was written by Tanner's father, Alexis Bertauche, and appreciate his family allowing us to share his story.

It is with much sadness that we announce the passing of our son Tanner. Tanner was born on July 8, 2005 at Renown Medical Center and passed into God’s arms November 17, 2009 at Children’s Hospital in Oakland, CA after a long battle with a rare histiocytosis disorder called Juvenile Xanthogranuloma. Our angel on earth is now our angel in heaven. Tanner is survived by his parents Wendy and Alexis, two brothers KJ and Bodie as well as his loving grandparents, uncles and great grandparents.

Tanner lived an inspired life never letting his illness get in the way of his spirit that affected everyone who met our angel. Over the course of his illness Tanner converted many strangers into friends and inspired his doctors and nurses with hope and faith as he fought bravely and without complaints against a disease that has no established treatment protocol. Tanner always found a way to bring a smile to our faces.

Our family would like to thank the Reno community for their generous support over the past year and a half. We also want to thank the doctors, nurses, and social workers at Children’s Hospital Oakland, Renown Medical Center, Saint Mary’s and Lucille Packard’s Children Hospital at Stanford for the exceptional care of Tanner as well their belief in our son.

There will be a celebration of Tanner’s life at Our Lady of the Snows church in Reno on Friday, December 4thstarting with a tribute at 1pm followed by a memorial mass at 2pm with a reception at the parish center following the mass. All are welcome to come celebrate the life of Tanner Bertauche. In lieu of flowers donations can be made to the Tanner Bertauche Medical Fund at any Wells Fargo Bank location. This fund will become the seed for The Tanner’s Moon Foundation to help other families who are fighting histiocytosis.

Histio Heroes In The Headlines

We wanted to highlight several recent stories about brave histio warriors who are currently battling against histiocytosis:

Alex Johnson
Boy Battles Nine In A Million Disease

Brittany Kaufman
Benefit Scheduled For Four Year Old

Miranda Lindenberg
Faculty Member's Child Diagnosed With Rare Blood Disorder

Eduardo Rivera
Response Slow To Help Child

Liam Silva
Over 300 Attend Bone Marrow Drive

We also wanted to take a moment to remember and recognize a couple brave histio warriors who recently lost their courageous battles against histiocytosis:

Tanner Bertauche (4 years old -- JXG)

Elijah Cullison (10 years old -- HLH)

Click on the story titles to read more about these brave children. Learn how you can help in the fight against histiocytosis and find more information on the Histiocytosis Association of America website.

Mommys Shoes

The following poem was borrowed from Kathleen Brown-Blake, a histiocytosis mom. This poem is a very sweet way of expressing being a parent of a child with any life altering medical diagnosis. More importantly, it is a gentle reminder that we all have our hardships.

Mommys Shoes.

My mommy is wearing a pair of shoes.
They are ugly shoes.
She says they are uncomfortable shoes.
My Mommy hates her shoes.

Each day she wears them, and each day she wishes she had another pair.
Some days her shoes hurt so bad that she does not think she can take another step.

Yet, she continues to wear them.

She gets funny looks wearing these shoes. I can tell in others eyes that they are glad they are my mommy’s shoes and not theirs. They never talk about my mommy’s shoes.
To learn how awful her shoes are might make them uncomfortable.

To truly understand these shoes you must walk in them. But, once you put them on, you can never take them off.

I now realize that my mommy is not the only one who wears these kinds of shoes. There are many pairs in this world.

Some mommies ache daily as they try and walk in them. Some have learned how to walk in them so they don’t hurt quite as much. Some have worn the shoes so long that days will go by before they think about how much they hurt.

No mommy deserves to wear these shoes.
Yet, because of these shoes they are stronger women.
These shoes have given my mommy the strength to face anything.
They have made her who she is today.
She will forever walk in the shoes of a woman who has a child with histiocytosis.

Thank you mommy for wearing those shoes for me!

Flying Horse Away Program

The Flying Horse Away program sends children with serious illnesses to other Hole in the Wall Camps until Flying Horse Farms opens in Fall 2010.

Flying Horse Away sent over 80 kids to camp this summer.

Over the past three years, Flying Horse Farms has given the life-changing gift of camp to over 220 children.

Casino Night Donation To TXCCC

Linn Energy presented a check for $115,509 to Texas Children's Cancer Center & Hematology Service. The proceeds were raised by at the Texas Children's Cancer Center Casino Night on September 24, 2009 at the Downtown Houston Aquarium. Texas Children's Hospital and Linn Energy organized the night of casino-style gambling, spectacular prizes, dinner and cocktails.

After the check presentation, representatives of Linn Energy visited with cancer center patients and participated in the arts and crafts activities in the outpatient clinic.

Christmas Cards For Noah Biorkman

Noah Biorkman was diagnosed with neuroblastoma in 2007, when he was 3 years old. He went into remission, but then relapsed in September 2008. His family is not expecting him to make it to Christmas Day.

Noah and his family asked for Christmas cards to be sent to help their family celebrate Christmas on November 8. People around the country responded and sent more than 100,000 cards.

His parents recently posted the following request of Noah's Carepages website:

Wow! The outpouring of love and concern for Noah is just amazing! Scott and I never in a million years thought that so many people would want to send Christmas cards to Noah. However, please note: We did already celebrate Christmas LAST Sunday -- November 8th.

PLEASE STOP SENDING CARDS AND GIFTS!!!!

Noah is very ill. He is not getting out of bed and it's time for Scott, our families, and I to concentrate on our son. His time is very short and he needs us.

Scott and I would like to say thank you so much for the support and continued show of love. However, we are asking that everyone please stop sending cards and gifts.

Also, everyone please post the stop order on Facebook and any other websites or organizations that you belong to. We need the peace right now.

Thank you for your understanding in this request.

Histio Heroes and Angels

We wanted to highlight several recent stories about brave histio warriors and angels who have battled or who are continuing to battle against histiocytosis:

Maya Chamberlin
4 Year Old Maya Needs Bone Marrow Donor Urgently

Elijah Cullison
Classmates Looking To Raise Awareness After Friend's Death

Jillian Leigh Davidson
Daughter's Spirit Lives On Through Dinner-Fundraiser

Jessica Siedel
Golfers Tee Up to Support Local Girl and Family

Click on the story titles to read more about these brave children. Learn how you can help in the fight against histiocytosis and find more information on the Histiocytosis Association of America website.

Great News From Kasey's Krafts

We wanted to share an update from Kasey's Krafts, Inc. about the wonderful work that is being done to help children at The Children’s Hospital in Denver, Give Kids the World and Ronald McDonald House Denver.

Kasey’s Krafts Inc. made over 600 Halloween kits! These were distributed to The Children’s Hospital in Denver, Give Kids the World, and Ronald McDonald House Denver. Thanks to the ongoing devotion of Kasey’s Grandma the kits were delivered on time despite Kasey’s recent hospital admission for pneumonia. This was in addition to our standard monthly commitments of general craft kits.

Get Involved!

We would like to update you on the success of the inkjet drive. As you may recall we are collecting used (or if you don’t need them new) ink and toner cartridges as a fundraiser. We received over 100 cartridges which is awesome. Pennies turn into dollars, which turns into smiles on kids faces. Due to the success, we are expanding our drive to include old cell phones, MP3s and PDAs. All of these can be dropped off at The UPS Store, located at Lincoln & Jordan in Parker. Just tell them they are for Kasey’s Krafts. Don’t feel left out if you are out of the area, you can still collect these and send them to us, let us know and we will coordinate with you!

New Offering!

We are very excited to announce a new concept we are trying to roll out. We are collecting Nintendo DS Games for re-distribution. So as you are getting ready for the holidays and are cleaning out your kids games, why not donate them to Kasey’s Krafts Inc? Again, just drop them off at the UPS Store at Lincoln & Jordan noted that they are for Kasey’s Krafts! We have experienced the joy that DS games bring do our little fighters and can’t wait to start this program! We will also collect Nintendo 360 and Wii games. These are the systems most available at the hospital. Being in the hospital recently, we experienced the downtime and are excited to help out in this new way.

Thank you for your ongoing support, you can help out by participating in any of the drives to collect items, by in-kind gifts, or donations. Check out our website for more information! www.KaseysKrafts.com If you would like a receipt, please provide your email address so we can send you a receipt for your donations.

We sincerely appreciate your ongoing support!

Katie & Kasey

You can read more about Kasey's Krafts and how you can help on their website -- http://www.kaseyskrafts.com -- or by joining their Facebook group -- http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=150184964533

Notes Left Behind

Notes Left Behind is the true story of a six-year-old girl named Elena Desserich who left behind notes for her family when she knew she was dying of brain cancer.

Elena hid the hundreds of notes everywhere in the house, the first were found in a backpack. Others were hidden between books, in the corner of dresser drawers, between dishes in the china cabinet or between photos stacked away in boxes, even in Christmas decorations.

In her last days she showed a community how to love and how to live. When her cancer stole her ability to speak, she turned to drawing and painting, her kindergarten passion. Elena had one of her drawings hung next to her favorite painter, Pablo Picasso, at the Cincinnati Art Museum. The painting titled “I Love You” was the fulfillment of her short, life-long dream.

In her short time, she accomplished a truly spectacular series of wishes that she alone created and inspired a cause that remains today to help children everywhere in their fight against brain cancer -- The Cure Starts Now.

Birthday Wish To My Angel

Happy Birthday to my angel Sydney!!!

You are missed by many, loved by all and will never be forgotten.

You have inspired so many people to help other brave warriors.

You are many things but you will always be my little girl.

Love, Daddy.

Histio Heroes In The News

We wanted to highlight several recent stories about brave histio warriors who are battling against histiocytosis:

Skylear Edmond
Community Helps Little Girl With Cancer

Tatum Null
Make-A-Wish, BNSF Team Up For Children's Train Ride

Madison Ursillo
Rare Immune Disorder Strikes Family Twice

Click on the story titles to read more about these brave children. Learn how you can help in the fight against histiocytosis and find more information on the Histiocytosis Association of America website.

Coping Tools For Cancer And Histio Families

We wanted to share a great post from Bridget Colby (HLH/BMT mom) about the initial steps in dealing with your child being diagnosed with histiocytosis or pediatric cancer.

In looking back at how our family coped with our daughters diagnosis of HLH there were things we used to cope. I wanted to share them.

Some simple steps to think about in dealing with the reality of your child being diagnosed with a devastating illness.

Step One: Remember to breathe. Sounds simple, but when things are going bad you will probably find that you are holding your breathe alot.

Step Two: When things are not going so well, the present is this minute. Right here, right now. As things get better you can relax and move to hour by hour. Then day by day. Even rollercoasters have there end. Just hang on and try only to get through one dip at a time.

Step Three: You remember things that comfort your child. What about yourself?
Bring things to the hospital that you would find at a day spa, or something you would take on a romantic weekend. Things that make you,and only you feel better. Take your pillow, a favorite blanket, comfy pair of socks, hand cream and put your feet up once in a while.

Step Four: Take breaks. When you can take a short walk outside. This will go very far in helping to recharge.

Step Five: Say "Thank you!" to the offers of help and accept them!!!!! You are not in this alone. You need these to get through this. Do this now so you will have reserve if something bigger happens. Let family and friends help you prepare for homecoming,make meals, do laundry or whatever they can.

Step Six: Choose your battles. Accept what you can. There will be times when there is just no answer, don't waste your energy trying to change that. There will be people that you will not get along with. Ignore them and save your energy for where it counts.

Step Seven: This is the new "normal". Nothing will be the same from now on. The good thing is that the new "normal" will start to feel okay, eventually. You have all been changed in many ways.

Step Eight: Take time everyday to be the family that you are no matter what is going on. Continue to strengthen the foundation you have built. This is what will hold you all up in times of trail.

Step Nine: This too may sound strange but try to laugh. It is one of the best ways to combat stress. I may not seem like it now but you will be able to laugh again. You will understand this with the first "She made a poo!!" happy dance and song.

Step Ten: You are not alone. Don't try to hold everything inside. There are many people willing to help,listen and get you through the moments that you will feel at your lowest. Reach out.

These are just some things to think about.
What are your coping tools?

Jacob's Wish

Please take a moment to read a great post from Reis Baron about his son Jacob (LCH warrior) and their family's experience with histiocytosis.

Jacob's been doing so well!! He's even had a cough (his first that we can remember) this week and it hasn't slowed him down a bit. We still kept him home from school today to make sure it didn't escalate or challenge his breathing. One thing about living with LCH is that the normal school-kid illnesses put you on hyper-alert, and it's hard to know if a cold might lead to a fever, which might lead to who knows what. So admittedly amidst the honeymoon phase we're still stressed when confronted with some of the more common toddler issues. You learn to live with it and move on with a watchful eye.

Last we left this saga we were looking forward to good bloodwork, which thankfully we got on the 12th. So Jacob had his final shot of Vinblastine, and completed his final round of Prednisone. Tomorrow is his last day of Pepcid, and best of all we've tried the 6MP (oral chemo) with some Grenadine by mouth and he loved it. This is HUGE, as it means (for now anyways) we will have no problems with the oral meds once the G tube is out. We were so worried that he wouldn't like it. Imagine having to give your child something by mouth every day for a year and they don't like it? OUCH...glad we don't have that problem...yet, anyway ;-).

The 12th was quite a day. Along with the good bloodwork in the morning, Jacob got a visit that evening from our new friends at the Make A Wish Foundation. Jacob's lead oncologist recommended him for the program, and with the help of the social work staff at Tomorrow's Children Jacob was officially asked to make his wish. We were honestly surprised, as we originally thought that Make A Wish was specifically for kids with terminal conditions. But we learned that the program more broadly covers children with life-threatening illnesses, regardless of the current state of their prognosis/recovery. It's been very humbling getting acquainted with the organization, and we're truly blessed to have them in our lives.

They came in with a cool Thomas the Tank Engine bag with a few new trains for Jacob's collection, and we discussed the gift that we felt would be ideal for him. Obviously at his age it's a bit early to take full advantage of anything from a Disney trip to meeting a celebrity. But with physical development being a major concern right now, we felt that something geared toward helping him strengthen on a daily basis would be ideal. Little did we know when they say "dream big" they really, really mean it. So we've officially gotten word that in the early spring of 2010 Make A Wish will be installing an above-ground swimming pool for Jacob in our back yard. WOW!!!! We really still cannot believe it. What an amazing gift...it is truly humbling to say the absolute least.

Needless to say 2009 has been a turnaround year for us. Quite amazing how every day has been a step further away from those days in the PICU when Jacob was indefinitely unconscious. And it's so unfortunate that in the amazing community of people we have met throughout this experience, we are confronted with sobering stories of kids who are facing huge challenges with Histiocytosis and similar rare conditions. It's so tough to hear about some of these kids who lose their battle with the disease. It's just so cosmically wrong, and just so brutally sad. We've been lucky to encounter some amazing people along the way, and we want to acknowledge them, as we've learned so much, and because of their hard work we realize how much we can do to raise awareness of these rare diseases. Here are a few children whose stories you should absolutely check out:

Ivy Kate's Story - We stumbled across Ivy's story, and we were intrigued that her course of treatment was remarkably similar to Jacob's. We reached out to her amazing family when we were in the PICU, and they gave us some invaluable perspective and encouragement. Ivy is doing well these days after battling LCH (among many other things) since she was 3 months old (2004).

Sydney's Story - While Sydney was sadly only with us a very short time, her story is amazing and her family's efforts to spread the word about Histio conditions is truly incredible. Sydney's blog is an amazing resource of information on countless Histio cases, as well as fund-raising events and information. Many thanks to Michael Golding, Sydney's Dad, for his tireless efforts to spread the word.

Henry Goldberg - While settling in at the hospital, for what would be a several-month stay, we were greeted by one of the Tomorrow's Children social workers holding a messenger bag. On it were the words "Hope for Henry". He presented us with the bag, which we opened to find a portable DVD player for Jacob. Such a generous gift, and we were stunned to find out that Henry was a boy who lost his battle with a rare form of anemia in 2002. The Hope for Henry organization, started by Henry's family, has given out hundreds of high-end electronic items to children facing life-threatening illnesses. We were overwhelmed by their generosity in our time of need.

These stories, among the many we've read at Caring Bridge, are constant reminders that we have so much work to do in spreading the word about LCH and other rare illnesses. Once you face this disease it becomes part of your life mission to get the word out, and help in any way you can. All of the above people have taken that concept to the next level, and we look forward to doing our part so our efforts can hopefully bring some comfort to families who will unfortunately face this disease in the years to come. They say every journey begins with a small step. We're so thankful that we're fortunate enough to see the path ahead of us now. Here's to stepping cautiously...

Many thanks to you all...Much Love...

You can read more about Jacob on his blog -- The Jacob Skye Baron Blog.

Senator Brown Speaks About Childhood Cancer

U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-OH) recently delivered a speech honoring Alexa Brown, an 11 year-old Northwest Ohioan who recently passed away due to brain cancer. Sen. Brown announced a joint letter he wrote with Sen. George Voinovich (R-OH) urging Congressional colleagues to direct an additional $10 million for pediatric cancer research.

“Alexa was an active, happy, and beautiful little girl. Her courage in the face of such tragic circumstances was inspiring,” Brown said. “Unfortunately, Alexa’s battle with cancer is not an isolated case. Cancer is the number one cause of non-accidental death in children. It is responsible for more deaths from ages one to nineteen than asthma, diabetes, cystic fibrosis, and AIDS combined. And in the Clyde area of Ohio – in the Northwest part of the state – nineteen other children have been diagnosed with a form of invasive cancer in the last decade.”

Brown continued: “Today – on the last day of Childhood Cancer Awareness Month – Senators Voinovich and I have sent a letter to appropriators urging that the final Labor-HHS package include $10 million specifically for pediatric cancer research.”

You can watch Sen. Brown’s complete remarks as delivered in the video above. BTiy can read a copy of Sen Brown’s joint letter with Sen. Voinovich can be found HERE.

Manifesto -- Lance Armstrong Foundation

We believe in life.
Your life.
We believe in living every minute of it with every ounce of your being.
And that you must not let cancer take control of it.
We believe in energy: channeled and fierce.
We believe in focus: getting smart and living strong.
Unity is strength. Knowledge is power. Attitude is everything.

LIVESTRONG.

Histio Heroes and Angels

We wanted to highlight several recent stories about brave histio warriors who are battling against histiocytosis or who have triumphantly overcome this disease:

Deakon Beavers
What Makes You So Special?

Maya Chamberlin
Youth Fishing Program Sponsors Bone Marrow Drive

Dana Juat
Diagnosed With HLH Disease

Ibrahim Meer
Plea For Bone Marrow Donor

Ilai Mishori
For Him, a Drop of Blood. For Us, He Saved An Entire World.

Parker Pruitt
Celebrating A Little Survivor

Jessica Siedel
Tourney Planned For Young Bone Marrow Transplant Patient

We also wanted to take a moment to remember and recognize several brave histio warriors who recently lost their courageous battles against histiocytosis:

Matt Cwiertny (24 Years Old -- HLH)

Benjamin Levie (7 Years Old -- HLH)

Jeffrey G. Smith (13 Years Old -- HLH)

Click on the story titles to read more about these brave children Learn how you can help in the fight against histiocytosis and find more information on the Histiocytosis Association of America website.

Our Promise To Histio Heroes And Angels

The histio community has seen far too many courageous angels lose their battle against histiocytosis over the past few months along with those brave warriors and their families who are continuing to battle against these diseases.

This photo from a LIVESTRONG event says all that needs to be said about how we should approach the fight against histiocytosis and how we can honor the lives and struggles of those histio heroes and angels.

THEY DIDN'T QUIT ... I WON'T QUIT!!!

Pablove Across America (Day 9) – Four Mothers to Children with Cancer

On his day off in New Orleans, Jeff Castelaz caught up with Joann and three other mothers to children with cancer. Here's a little insight into what they went through.

You can learn more about Jeff's ride (Pablove Across America) and how you can join the fight against pediatric cancer on the Pablove Foundation website -- http://www.pablove.org.