Perspective

These are our good friends, Brian and Katie.



Brian and Katie are good people. They’ve been married for two years; they hold jobs as public school teachers; they have the most enormous Golden Retriever you’ve ever seen. They’re just Regular People.

Regular people who wear the same outfits every New Year’s Eve, it appears. (I know, I find them irresistibly charming and adorable, too.)

NEW YEAR'S EVE, 2006


NEW YEAR'S EVE, 2007


Brian and Katie have also been blessed with a charming and adorable daughter. She’s about to turn 16 months old and her name is Emily. And two weeks ago, while on vacation in another state, Brian and Katie found out that Emily had a cancerous tumor the size of a baseball growing at the base of her brain. A tumor that looked so menacing on the radiology report that when Emily’s doctor first saw it, he retreated into a back room and wept for the little girl he wasn’t certain he could help.

The situation deteriorated rapidly, and on Easter Sunday afternoon, it was determined that Emily’s tumor was bleeding into her brain and would most certainly pose a threat to her life if not treated immediately. Unfortunately, Emily had been violently ill the previous week, unable to keep food or milk down, and doctors decided to push the surgery to Monday morning to allow her an extra night to get some much needed rest and intravenous nourishment.

And then the doctors told Brian and Katie the unthinkable: that they should call their families and let them know that Emily might be too weak to survive the 12-hour surgery. If they wanted an opportunity to say goodbye, they needed to be in Savannah to see her before she was wheeled into the operating room the next morning.

Then, the miracle: Emily made it through the surgery without requiring additional medical intervention (she didn’t even require a blood transfusion) and is resting comfortably. Doctors were able to remove between 50 to 70 percent of the tumor. At the time I am writing this, pathology reports on the tumor still haven’t come back, but the oncologist who was in on the surgery is pretty confident that it will be one of three very aggressive forms of cancer. Emily might avoid more surgery, but she will most definitely face some intensive chemotherapy treatments, especially since her latest MRI shows that the cancer has spread to her spine.



Brian and Katie have decided that the best care for Emily is in Savannah, even though they call the suburbs of DC their home. Making that decision for them was not without its challenges. Brian had to take an unpaid leave of absence from his teaching job (Katie has been a stay-at-home mom to Emily since last summer). And they are looking at spending an unspecified amount of time – weeks, maybe months - in a strange city far away from friends and family and the comforts of home. But they are happy to do it if it gives Emily a better chance at being healthy and cancer-free.

The thing is, they can’t do it without going into a huge amount of debt. They’ve got a mortgage here in Virginia; they've got car payments. They’ve also had to secure an apartment in Savannah where they can live while Emily goes through chemo, and that apartment will have to be professionally cleaned and sterilized before Emily can live there. They have to buy a special hospital crib for her to sleep in. And in between all of that, they've got to eat and pay for utilities, gas, toiletries. And they’ve got no reliable income to speak of to do it all.

 

There’s going to be a donate button on this website for as long as Emily is in treatment. Please let me be clear: I am not asking you to donate if you don’t feel led to do so. But every little bit does something, every dollar gives this family an opportunity to stay together and support each other, alone in a strange city while they go through hell on earth fighting their daughter's cancer.

Those of you who read this website on a regular basis, you know I’ve never asked for anything like this before. But there is this part of me that wonders if maybe this little self-centered website is part of God’s plan for Emily; maybe He has given me the opportunity to correspond and communicate with so many people out there so that we can be part of something miraculous for this amazing little family that needs to be cared for. I can't just sit here and do nothing.

Emily needs your prayers and good wishes, too. If you would like to leave a message for her and her family, please do so in the comments section. They really need the encouragement and prayer support, even from complete and total strangers.

Thank you, everyone. Your kindness and generosity is appreciated beyond words. I will have more updates on Emily's status as we find out more.

* * * Update, 4-2-08 * * *
Emily is doing well, but has been leaking some spinal fluid from the location where her drain was located after her last surgery. She may need to have the drain replaced, and she may require a more permanent solution like a shunt. Doctors are still evaluating the situation and should know more soon, but until then, her chemo will have to be pushed back for a week or so. However, in the great news category, another brain scan done Monday morning showed that the tumor is no longer growing.

* * * Update, 4-10-08 * * *
For the latest news on Emily, please go here.

Also, for all who have asked: If you are uncomfortable  donating through Paypal or do not want to create a Paypal account, the Mandell family has set up a trust fund for Emily through Bank of America. This means that you can walk into any Bank of America location and make an anonymous donation into the account for Emily Mandell. Please don't hesitate to email with any questions or concerns! THANK YOU ALL!

Comments

[Kristy]

My thoughts and prayers are with this beautiful family.

[Erika]

I am lifting them up with my thoughts and prayers.

[Jessica]

My thoughts and prayers are with this family.

I think it is great that you are getting their story out there and trying to raise money to help them during their time of need.

[Megan]

This is truly the unthinkable. You all are in my prayers.

[Becky]

Emily and her family are in my prayers.

[Mandy]

This story and your thoughtfulness made me cry. Thanks for giving us the opportunity to help with a donation or extra prayers and good thoughts for Emily and her family.

Stay strong, little Emily!

[Nancy]

Oh my god, that is horrifying. All my thoughts and fervent wishes for that family and beautiful little girl.

Thanks for doing this Emily.

[Sarah]

D@mn life is not fair. As someone who has spent significant time periods with a child in hospital, I would encourage them to check and see if a Ronald McDonald House is near their hospital. It's WAY more reasonable than an apartment would be. I would also encourage them to check in with the hospital's social worker. The hospital my daughter was in had funds available for parents to apply for that could cover everything from mortgage payments to electricity bills to housing costs in the new city. (They will still need your help, I'm sure. I just want them to have access to all the resources they can).

My prayers are that little Emily is a big fighter.

[Shanna]

I know from experience how excrutiating it can be to go through a difficult time like this. Please remember that God would not have helped Emily through all the obstacles she has already faced if there was not a message written in her circumstances. These things have a way of working out and money means nothing if the people we love are not here to share it with us. You will all be in my prayers and my family will do anything that we can to help.

[natalie]

Sending all prayers as hard as I can.

[rachel]

My prayers & thoughts are with this precious family.

[Robbi]

I feel horrible for any parent that would have to go through something like this. I have a 5-year-old, and a baby on the way, and I just can't imagine having something like that happen to one of my kids. My husband and I have been so so tight on money since he started his own company last year, but I HAD to donate to your friends. It wasn't as much as I'd have liked to give, but I hope it helps a little.

[Anne]

Donated. I wish I could send more.

My thoughts are with that little girl and her parents.

[Cheryl]

I cannot even fathom what this must be like for them. My thoughts are with Emily and her family.

[Kerri Anne]

Here via Chirky's post. Please tell them we, too, are praying and thinking of them and their lovely lovely little one.

[Kat]

Emily, i have been lurking on your blog for some time now and when i read this entry i felt called to help. My thoughts and prayers are with little Emily and Brian and Katie as they struggle through this time. Being a teacher myself i know that funds can be tight, so i hope that they are able to relieve some of that burden through your generosity and thoughtfulness, as well as that of your readership. thank you for your blog as a means of bringing some light to this family in a time of darkness. God bless.

[andrea]

I can not even begin to imagine what this family is going through. The entire family will be in my thoughts and prayers and I look forward to updates on little Emily.

Would you mind if I linked to this post on our blog?

[Carolyn]

The pastor at our church likes to say that "God is in the business of doing miracles." I have already asked Him to do one for this beautiful family, and heal Emily in a miraculous way. And may He give Katie and Brian a peace that surpasses all human understanding during this difficult time.

[heidi]

may katie and brian and emily all find comfort and healing. i'll be sending prayers and good thoughts from seattle, wa.

[Diana Letourneau]

I am not sure if my donation went through. I see that you are the person receiving the money so I was wondering if you could let me know if my donation went through. I would try to do it again and I feel terrible for saying it but I just cant afford it if both donations go through. I paid by Visa and used the email on this post and I believe my name should show up as well. Please let me know. Thoughts and prayers for this little fighter. I wish her the best.

[Melani]

I assure you that I will be praying for Brian, Katie and Emily. What a wonderful thing you are doing, using your blog so that people throughout the country will be aware of this family and able to pray/help them.

[L*Joy]

In complete prayer and praise to our Master Physician.
Praying Joy and Strength for every member of emily's family. Praying discernment for the doctors, nurses, and emily's parents. Praying financial blessings and provisions for the family.

thank you for letting us know so that we may remind the family that they are not alone. God is with them. God is in control through the valley, darkness, and light.

[Amy]

Your friends and their beautiful daughter will be in my prayers. My children having cancer is one of my biggest fears in life. My son has a peanut allergy and right now a fatal reaction to peanuts is my biggest fear. I am always praying for my kids safety and health. I will keep Emily in my prayers also. God bless you all. I'm hoping that my donation, little though it may be will be helpful.

[Andrea]

Thoughts and prayers are with Emily, please keep us posted on how they're doing. Also, they (or you) might contact the local network tv affiliates with their story and how to make donations. Usually tv stations have links on their websites for story suggestions. Just a thought for perhaps another venue to get the word out...

[Melissa]

It is awesome how the internet opens up so many hearts to complete strangers. Thank you for giving us the opportunity to help... My family and I send our prayers to Emily and her parents.