| The Journey Began April 14th, 2008. |
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Journey of Giving |
one of these families or organizations, just put their name in at checkout!  In 1993, our mom, Toni Bilak, started having some medical issues. She was 52 and worked full time as a nurse. She noticed she was having difficulty with her memory, her balance and coordination. Basically, she felt that something wasn’t quite right and just couldn’t figure it out. She danced at my wedding reception in late April that year, and by the middle of June, she had deteriorated to a point of becoming comatose. She passed away in 1994 at the age of 53. In the end, we were told she died of a rare neurological disorder, Creutzfeld-Jakobs Disease (CJD). This disease affects 1 person in every 1,000,000 people per year. There is no treatment or cure. This past March, my brother, Doug, talked with me about some vision issues he was having. He is 45, and works full time in the Lockheed Martin, here in Johnstown, PA. We talked about how his vision issues would impact his work, but most importantly, his activities with his son, Douglas, and his wife, Tracy. Doug rides quads and dirt bikes with Douglas, coaches football and baseball teams with Douglas, he is always there for Douglas. We decided that no matter what, we would figure out a way for him to continue doing the things he loves to do with his family. Doug and I talked again, just a few weeks ago, and he said he felt something wasn’t quite right. He was having difficulty with balance and coordination, and was scared… scared he might have what our mom had. We both thought no way, couldn’t be. It now appears we were wrong. Doug has always been there for his two older sisters and younger brother. He has always been there for his wife and son. He has always been there for anyone, at any time, for any need. It is now our turn to be there for him. One can only hope to be half the person my brother is. We want to help out with any of the financial burdens that Douglas or Tracy will have, now and in the future. Doug and his family do not know what their future holds, but they do know Who holds their future.
The color choice for Doug's T-shirts is Lime Green & Hoodies is Gray:  Jeffrey Mayhle Jeffrey Mayhle and Stephanie Evans were married on September 10, 2011. They bought a small "fix-it-up" farm near Strongstown to begin their lives together. They have worked hard to make their house a home. One Saturday in February, Jeffrey and his Dad were working on remodeling the bathroom. Jeffrey was using a circular saw to cut some things when the saw some how got out of control and cut up his right hand. He was rushed to Indiana Hospital by his Dad and once he arrived there, the doctors had him life flighted to Conemaugh Hospital. He was immediately taken into the OR and after 5 hours of surgery, the doctors met with the family to give them the outcome. At this time, 2-3 more surgeries may be needed to gain more mobility of his hand. He will be off of work for an undetermined amount of time. Friends and family are pulling together to help them out with their medical bills as well as their daily living expenses.
The color choice for Jeffrey's T-shirts & Hoodies is Gray:  Kimberly Klein Kimberly Klein, daughter of Steve and the late Shannon Klein turned two on March 8th, 2012. On March 14th, 2012 while at her 2 year wellness check up, Steve mentioned a lump that he felt on her stomach. The doctor sent them to Conemaugh Hospital for an ultrasound and x-ray. The doctors at Conemaugh said they believed it was a tumor on her kidney and they wanted her to go to Children's Hospital that night for further testing. After additional tests, it was confirmed that it was a tumor and surgery would be necessary. The morning of March 16th, 2012 Kimberly was taken into surgery. The lengthy surgery consisted of removing her right kidney and eight lymph nodes. They also installed a mediport into her shoulder for administering her treatments. The tumor was one and half pounds and the size of a grapefruit. It was later diagnosed as a Stage III Wilm's Tumor. The doctors are confident that they got it all but Kimberly will still have to undergo chemo and radiation therapy as a precaution. Her treatment plan begins on March 27th, 2012 and is expected to last at least six to nine months. Kimberly is expected to make a full recovery. Kimberly is currently healing very well. Just twelve hours after surgery she was sitting up in her crib and eighteen hours after surgery she was standing up. She is a very strong little girl.
The color choice for The Kimberly's T-shirts & Hoodies is Gray:  Lillia Vehovic Henry & Suzy (Nelson) Vehovic's daughter, Lillia, was diagnosed with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia on October 5, 2011. With multiple trips to the Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh generally each week, many costs build up including medical, prescription and travel costs. We hope to help them in any way that we can throughout the years of weekly treatments that we all pray will cure it. Lillia's story as written by her mother Suzy: It was the beginning of the new school year, Lilli was starting her first year of Kindergarten. She, like any other girl was super excited about going and meeting new friends. Lilli loved going to school, she was always excited about the next day and what they would be doing. She would come home, have a snack and play with her brothers, Brady and Owen and just be her silly self. Of course she was tired and took some naps after school, I mean this is a big adjustment for her, a full day of Kindergarten. She would sleep for a couple hours or so. I never thought anything of it really, just thinking she's tired and will adjust after a while. Well, 2-3 weeks of school has passed and she was still just tired as could be. I noticed a few changes in her, she was starting to lose her appetite. She would come home with almost all of her lunch everyday, she was constantly wanting to sleep and complaining of headaches. She wouldn't even eat chips, and all of you that know my Lilli, you know how she loves her chips!! I thought she was just coming down with a virus or something. She had a fever and throwing up the one weekend, we had her to the Dr's and everything was fine and just thought it was something viral. Well, another week went by and she started complaining of leg pain. To me I just thought it was growing pains or something. Lilli was definitely not being herself. She didn't even want to play with her friends, all she would do was just lay around and want to go to sleep- all the time! Over a little time I noticed that she started getting bruises on her legs and I thought how could this be when she wasn't playing or doing anything. She looked pale and had dark circles under her eyes, she still had leg pain, I knew there had to be something wrong with her, this was not my Lilli. That night I was researching online and putting in all of her symptoms and my heart hit the floor. Everything was coming up with cancer, leukemia. I tried not to get to worked up but yeah I did, throwing up and was just a wreck! I don't even think I slept that night. I immediately took her in the next morning for blood work. Later that day after receiving the call from the Dr. reading the results of her blood work - her suspicion is that she has leukemia, to pack a bag and go immediately to the ER at Children's Hospital. I think this was the longest day of my life! Everything that happened that day/night is a blur to me ~ having to cope with the possibility that our child has cancer, it just wasn't happening. Lilli had to have more blood drawn for some more tests. Poor girl was terrified, she didn't know what was going on. All she wanted to do was go home. A few hours have gone by and after talking with some Dr's they were thinking it may be a possibility she may have Mono, but were waiting for some additional testing looking to see if there were blasts in her blood. After an hour or so went by... they had enough test results to diagnose her with leukemia but it would be a while before we knew exactly what type~ So, after waiting hours and hours for test results Lilli was admitted to the hospital. That morning of October 5, Lilli was scheduled for bone marrow biopsy, underwent a platelet and blood transfusion. Waiting for the results of the biopsy were excruciating. We then got the news that she was Pre-B-cell ALL. Lilli then had surgery to place in her port and also have an LP done. Lilli is a fighter and she will beat this! Please pray that things are easy as possible for Lilli as she makes her journey to being a survivor! I will try my best to keep everyone updated as time allows ~ our whole life has just changed and we do not know what lies ahead of us. We need to keep our energy and strength and have new hope in God each day~trusting him that "all will be well". Together we will all get thru this.
And so begins our journey...
The color choice for The Lillia's T-shirts & Hoodies is Light Pink or Gray:  The Krug Family Tom and Courtney Krug reside in Brookville, PA with their three sons, Jack, Charley and Sammy. Tom is originally from St. Marys, PA and Courtney is from Johnsonburg, PA. Tom is employed by HCR Manor Care and Courtney is a stay-at-home mom. With three boys, Jack, age 9, Charley, age 6, and Sammy, age 4 they are kept very busy. The whole family is involved with the Brookville sports programs. Tom coaches in the community Little League/Minor League program, the Brookville Lumerjack Youth Football program and also coaches the Brookville Raider Elementary Boys' Basketball program. The Krug family was involved in a multi-vehicle accident on Monday, January 2, 2012 on Interstate 80 near DuBois, PA. Tom rescued his two older boys from the accident and got them to safety. He then started back to help his wife and youngest son, when he was hit by a truck. Tom was critically injured and has been in a coma at UPMC Mercy Hospital in Pittsburgh, PA. Courtney received several severe injuries, including a crushed vertebrae in her neck, a broken collarbone and a broken shoulderblade, when she and Sammy were pinned in the accident. Sammy, was also injured with a serious injury to his hand/arm. Courtney and Sammy have been released from the hospital. Courtney and the boys are home, but are staying with family at the present time. Courtney travels back and forth to Pittsburgh to spend as much time as possible at Tom's side. Sammy, also has to travel back and forth to Children's Hospital in Pittsburgh to see the doctors. The family has a long road of recovery ahead of them both physically and emotionally. As "Friends of the Family" we are working to help them financially with the travel and accommodations for the family as they travel back and forth to Pittsburgh, and any other unforeseen expenses that may occur. The family should not have to worry about finances during this time, but need to focus all their love and care on Tom getting better and coming home to them. If you would like to follow Tom's progress you can do so on Facebook by typing in "Prayers for Tom Krug", updates are posted daily.
The color choice for The Krugs T-shirts is YELLOW, and GRAY is the Hoodie color:  Kevin Myers Kevin is a
resident of Northern Cambria, PA. He has worked all of his life helping anyone in need with a smile
and never asking for anything in return. Kevin has been diagnosed with Atrial Fibrillation and it can not
be controlled with medication. He is in need of heart surgery and now has no medical insurance at no
fault of his own. We are hoping to raise enough funds to
assist him in obtaining medical insurance and to assist in costs of doctor visits & life sustaining
medications.
The color choice for Kevin Myers shirts is Carolina Blue:  Mike Mayers
Sadly, Mike Mayers passed away on Dec. 31, 2011 please keep his family in your prayers.
Mike was born in Portage, PA and resides there with his wife, Annette (Kutyba). Their children are Jennie, married to Mike Battista (Olympia, WA); Becky, married to Marty Coffee (Portage); Jessie, married to Marc Popchak (Coudersport, PA); and Matt (Portage). They are also the proud grandparents of six grandchildren – Colton, Allison, Zachary, Jamie, Macie and Lucas. Mike is the brother of Connie, married to Tim Illig (Ebensburg); Jeff, married to Patty Perala (Madison, WI) and Sue (Ambler, PA). Mike was a teacher at Portage Area Elementary and High Schools and was also a high school wrestling coach. Mike and Annette owned Mayers Insurance Agency in Portage, previously owned by his parents, John B. (deceased) and Margery Mayers and then worked for CBIZ Insurance Services for 16 years. After moving back to Portage about three years ago, he worked at S&T-Evergreen Insurance at the time he was diagnosed. Mike has asked that his family plan a Bone Marrow Screening & Replenishment Blood Drive in Portage so that he can replace some of the blood and platelets that he has used. The Blood Donor Drive is scheduled for December 12th with the flyer and information posted on this site. This drive also offers the opportunity to join the “Be The Match Registry®, the national registry for bone marrow donors. Please donate in Mike’s honor! Since Mike’s diagnosis in July, his health insurance has not covered any travel-related expenses for his family for the many trips necessary to Pittsburgh for treatments, doctor visits and testing. After Mike’s stem cell transplant, he is required to reside within 30 minutes of West Penn Hospital for up to 100 days for daily visits to the hospital to monitor his progress. Mike’s insurance will not cover these additional expenses as well. To help Mike and his family cover these related expenses before, during and after the transplant, the family has established an account at 1st Summit Bank. Donations of any amount are greatly appreciated and can be sent to 1st Summit Bank, 924 Main Street, Portage, PA 15946. Checks should be made payable to “Family & Friends of Mike Mayers”. This GROUP has been created to post activities and updates, but most importantly to create a communication tool between Mike's family and friends who want to be involved in some way. Friends can track Mike’s progress and send well wishes to him and his family on www.caringbridge.org. Once you register on the site, Mike’s information can be found on the ‘mikemayers’ link. Mike and his family extend a sincere and heartfelt ‘thank you’ in advance for your support and help. PLEASE share this information with anyone you feel might be interested and thanks again for supporting Mike in his journey back to good health.  Larry Smelley ~Sadly, Larry Smelley passed away on Dec. 5, 2011 please keep his family in your prayers.
Larry Smelley was born in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. In 1963 Larry enlisted in the US Army. In 1985 he transitioned from the Army to the National Guard playing Tuba and Bass Guitar for the Military Band until he retired in 2006. Larry has since been enjoying his retirement with his loving wife, his “Angel”, Cathy. Nov. 20, 2010, Larry was diagnosed with Lung Cancer and started his series of treatments. In July 2011 Doctors discovered several tumors in Larry’s Brain, and in August 2011 Larry was diagnosed with Bone Cancer as well. Larry’s cancer was diagnosed as “Treatable” from the start, never curable. With no certainty on the length or quality of life left since his last diagnosis, and continued suffering and sickness through the last series of treatments, Larry has since decided to enjoy his time, as much as possible, with family and friends. Larry has a great love for electronics, flying, and music. Recently, when asked if there were any words that he would like to share with the rest of us, Larry was quoted as saying, “To friends, I cannot count their numbers. For loves, I try to account for and woefully fall short. For encounters I failed to hail at their passing, I implore your grace. Our time here is a gift. With your passing, your squanderance of this gift will weigh as the greatest of all sins.” “And that’s the rest of the story…” As Larry says in his bottomed out baritone, radio announcers voice, he does so well.  Doreen FogleDoreen Fogle is an English teacher at Bishop Guilfoyle. She lives in Altoona, PA. She was diagnosed in 2009 with breast cancer and is currently undergoing treatment. The cancer has moved to other parts of her body and is currently affecting her lungs, spine and lymph nodes. "Doreen Fogle is a much-beloved wife, mother, and teacher whose life has been an absolute blessing for those fortunate enough to know her. Her family—including her husband, Jim, and her children Jimmy, Tessa and Liz— is the very center of her life, and from that loving center she radiates the kind of hope and joy that changes the lives of her friends as well as her students. Doreen has been battling cancer since spring of 2009 with a strong faith and a great determination that has inspired us all." (Bob Sutton- colleague)  Shannon & Steve Klein Family Shannon Grove Klein is a 35 year old wife to Steve and mother to 4 year old twins Katelyn and Stevie and 18 month old Kimberly. They live in Portage, PA. Shannon has a Bachelors degree and a Masters degree from Saint Francis University.
The color choice for the Klein's shirts is Gray. SLEEVE DESIGN:  Cody Dailey Cody is 15 yrs. old and has had some severe health issues. He contracted a common cold virus (Adenovirus) but due to Cody having Down syndrome the common cold can prove nearly fatal. Codys lungs both collapsed and he was placed on ECMO. To be placed on ECMO is only for people in which death is imminent! While on ECMO Cody rec'd several blood products/transfusions. Cody began improving and was taken off of ECMO- but due to his lowered immune system and the blood transfusions he contracted a Staph infection/MRSA as well as Sepsis of the blood. After Cody is discharged from Childrens Hospital, within a few months, he will need to come back for a procedure on his heart which is a birth defect that was recently discovered. He also will have ongoing problems with his heart. During this time, Cody's dad, Bill lost his job. The family is incurring extra expenses of food, extra gas back and forth to see their youngest son Dallas, and other expenses. Due to Cody being in isolation Dallas isn't allowed to go to any of the activities in the hospital, so he has been staying with his uncle Aaron and his wife Tammy, and his sister Marni and her family.
The color choice for the shirts is Gray. SLEEVE DESIGN:  The Tubbs Family David L. Tubbs is from Ansonville, PA. David was diagnosed with Stage 4 Pancreatic Cancer on May 27, 2011. He was undergoing chemo treatments once a week in Pittsburgh. Before diagnosed, David was employed by AmFire Mining Co. Since being diagnosed, he has had to quit working. This has been very difficult for David because he has worked so hard his entire life. David is also a Vietnam War veteran. David and his wife, Penny, have been married for 39 years. His family is very important to him and includes three grown daughters. Brenda is married to John Fontanella and lives in Coalport along with their sons, Cory & Conor. Krista is married to Jason Gregg and lives in Ansonville with their children, Tori and Tristan. Jennifer is married to Tabb Ascher and lives in Kankakee, IL. David also has four brothers and two sisters.
Kadie Stonebraker The Sleeve design is a smiley face drawn by Gracie, with the words used by Kadie. The color choice for the shirts is Lilac or Gray T-shirts, Pink or Gray Hoodies. SLEEVE DESIGN:  Kadie is a 4 yr. old girl who passed away from cancer August 13, 2011, just a few days after we started this sale to help her and her family. Please keep the prayers and support coming for the Stonebraker family.
 Tami Bassaro-Chuhran, a 37 year old Northern Cambria women was diagnosed with Stage 3 Bladder Cancer on January 5th 2010; which has manifested and spread throughout her body. She has been currently receiving chemo and radiation treatments traveling back and forth to Pittsburgh. Tami is the daughter of Terrence (Mole) Bassaro and the late Janice Bassaro. She is the mother of two lovely children; Kylie 14 years old and Timmy 11 years old who both attend Northern Cambria Middle school. She is the loving wife to husband Tim for 13 ½ years and is a Northern Cambria class of 1991 graduate. Tami is a very dedicated, caring, loving and supportive friend to all and is always there and willing to help others in any situation. Her genuine personality is truly the personality of an angel, you couldn’t find anyone better than Tami. Please help us and spread the word to purchase one of her millionshirtmom t-shirts or hoodies. Our hearts and prayers go out to Tami and her family.
Their color choice for the shirts is Red. SLEEVE DESIGN:  Drew MondiDrew's color choice for the shirts is Gray.........SLEEVE DESIGN:  Drew Mondi, age 20, was diagnosed with Crohn's disease in March 2010. At that time he was a student at Penn Highlands Community College. Drew received a licensed certificate in Phlebotomy from Penn Highlands. Crohn's Disease is an inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). It causes inflammation of the lining of your digestive tract which can lead to abdominal pain, severe diarrhea and even malnutrition. The body's immune system attacks the bowel as if there was an infection causing the inflammation and the Crohn's disease. Although it can involve any area of the GI system from the mouth to the anus, it most commonly affects the intestines and colon. Drew's disease is in his small intestines. The exact cause of Crohn's disease remains unknown. Researchers believe that a number of factors may cause it, such as heredity, stress, and diet. A malfunctioning immune system may also play a role in the development of Crohn's disease. In September 2010 Drew's Gastroenterologist found that his condition worsened and became a severe case. He found 2-3 feet of affected intestines, 3 fistulas, and an abscess. Drew's Doctor recommended immediate surgery. On October 22, 2010 Drew had surgery at UPMC Presbyterian Hospital in Pittsburgh, PA. His surgeon removed two and a half feet of his intestine and 3 fistulas, one attached to his bladder. The bladder and an abdominal abscess also had to be repaired. Although there is no cure for Crohn's disease a number of treatment methods are used involving drug therapy or, in certain cases surgery. The goal of medical treatment is to reduce the inflammation that triggers signs and symptoms. In the best cases, this may lead not only to symptom relief but also to long-term remission. Surgery does not cure Crohn's disease; it only removes the affected areas. The disease may reoccur in different sections of the intestinal tract. Drew is recovering at home in Nicktown with his parents Larry and Kerri, and his sister Ashlee.
 Personal note from Kim (the mom of millionshirtmom) Working on this fundraiser hits very close to home. Drew is a very special young man. He and my oldest daughter Cortney were very close through high school. Tom and I never worried when Cortney was with Drew, he truly is one of the nicest, most generous and respectful young men you could find. My heart goes out to Drew and his family. I hope a cure is found soon for this awful disease. Pictured below is Drew and Cortney, their Senior Prom, 2008.  American Cancer Society Relay for Life, in memory of Susan Lydic MottornTheir color choice for the shirts is Kelly Green. SLEEVE DESIGN:  In September 2010 Marion Center School District lost a valued long-time employee. Susan Lydic Mottorn was the district’s high school secretary since her graduation from the school in 1973. In November of 2005, Sue was diagnosed with neuroendocrine carcinoma in her liver. Through the years between that time and July of 2010, she, her family, and her doctors treated the condition through monthly testing, medical procedures and prescription medications. In July of 2010, however, tests revealed that Sue’s pancreas was diseased and it became necessary for the treatment to include chemotherapy. She was no longer able to work; and eventually, the disease destroyed her heart valves and she died on September 29. Sue is survived by her loving husband Ken and two children Josh and Whitney. In Sue’s memory, the Marion Center School District faculty and staff will walk in the 2011 American Cancer Society Relay for Life event. Members of the “MC Schools for Susie Q” team will walk at the White Township Recreation Center from 6 p.m. on Friday, June 3, through 6 p.m. on Saturday, June 4. Some of the activities taking place to raise money for the team include a cupcake sale in all three school buildings on Sue’s birthday in February and numerous administration-approved dress-down days.
 Shannon Mountain Shannon E. Mountain (39) was diagnosed to have a form of breast cancer known as Infiltrating Ductal Carcinoma on November 18, 2010. Shannon has 3 daughters; Briana (20), Ashley (18), and Erica (9). She is going to have a granddaughter soon - Isabella Nicole. Shannon is significant other to Jay Waugaman, her parents are Pete and Verla Froum. Shannon graduated from Harmony Area High School with the class of 1990, and just recently graduated with honors from York Technical Institute with a Medical Assists degree in 2010. Shannon is currently employed at SCI Laurel Highlands in Somerset, but is unable to work due to this disease and treatment. Shannon is the kind of person who enjoys being outdoors no matter what kind of weather. She also loves spending time with her family. In her desperate times she and her family have learned to become positive through treatment. Please help Shannon and her family during this difficult time.
  John & Tracy Houck ~ $886Sadly, Tracy passed away on June 19, 2011. Please keep her family in your prayers. Tracy was diagnosed with stage 4 breast cancer 10 years ago at the age of 32. She underwent surgery, having a mastectomy, and then followed up with chemotherapy treatments. In the years that have followed, Tracy was told that the cancer spread to her bones and that she had a spot on her brain. She goes for treatments to Pittsburgh every three weeks. She has had many surgeries recently that has put her in the hospital for weeks at a time and has not been able to work. Her last trip to the hospital has kept her from work for the past month and a half, although she has hopes to return as soon as her health permits. John was diagnosed with colon caner 8 years ago at the age of 37. He had surgery and chemotherapy and to date, his cancer has come back twice. John has also been told that he has a spot on his hip. He is currently undergoing his chemo treatments in Indiana. Their son Tyler is 12 and attends Penns Manor School where he plays football. John is one of the football coaches and both he and Tracy are involved with the booster club. They are wonderful, dedicated parents and through all of their hardships, they remain a true inspiration to everyone who knows them. Please help us in our efforts to raise money for John and Tracy.
 Personal note from Kim (the mom of millionshirtmom) John is a classmate of mine, Penns Manor class of 1985. My heart goes out to him and his wife, It's hard enough with one person in a family going thru treatments, one can only imagine how difficult it is when both parents are fighting this horrible disease. They are a great example of endurance, strength and faith.  Terry Kruise and Family ~ $7,020Sadly, Terry passed away on August 1, 2011. Please keep her family in your prayers. Terry L Kruise, is from Irvona, Pennsylvania. He is undergoing treatment
for an Astrocytoma (brain cancer). Terry is a Middle-School History Teacher
at the Harmony Area School District, Westover, Pennsylvania and is also the
Varsity Boys Basketball Coach. Terry has brought a lot of pride to Harmony
School District through his love of the game of basketball and has touched a
lot of children's lives. Terry L and Kathleen A. (Mazenko) Kruise have been
married for 21 years. They have three children: Kierstyn Mara (19);
Makenzie Joleen (17) and Kamden Michael (14). If you purchase a t-shirt
the logo pictured will be printed on the sleeve. The 5 basketballs in the design
represent Terry, Kathleen and their 3 children.
  Michael Wagner & Family ~ $1,754Sadly, Michael Wagner passed away on January 9, 2011. Please keep his family in your prayers.
  Gabrielle Powers & Family ~ $246Gaby Powers is a 14-year old student in the Shippensburg, PA school district. She will be starting her freshman year at the end of August. Gaby was diagnosed March 29, 2010 with Stage 3 Hodgkins Lymphoma. She has already had 4- rounds of chemotherapy and is about to begin a total of 14 radiation treatments. She is treated at Hershey Medical Center about an hour from our home.
  Ken Mullen and Family - $318Sadly Ken Mullen passed away September 29, 2010 a few days after this fundraiser began. Please keep your prayers and support coming for Ken's Family during this difficult time. Ken was a resident of Vintondale, PA., and was employed by Wright-Knox Trucking Company of Armaugh.
He was the father of three children(Jen, Kim and Tim) and has two grandchildren. He was an eleven year survivor of multiple myeloma (a form of blood cancer), but in the last year the cancer has become very aggressive, attacking his lungs, pancreas,liver and bone structure resulting in frequent hospitalizations and treatments.
Ken was in the middle of his second auto genius (his own cells) stem cell transplant(the first one being 11yrs ago) to stop the rapid advances the disease was making. Multiple myeloma is a cancer of the blood that to date there is no cure for. It is a cancer that typically strikes older males. Ken was diagnosed with this at the age of forty one. In the eleven years that he had been living with this cancer, attempting to control the repeated attacks on his body, Ken would not let it hinder his role as the family provider. He will be deeply missed by his family.
  John & Jet Woods Family - $702John Woods is undergoing treatment for colon cancer. John and Jet Woods have 3 daughters; Elin, Amy and Cori. John and Jet both are very dedicated parents, which is evident in their daughters. They always have such a positive attitude and when anyone needs a helping hand, they are among the first to sign-up. As everyone knows going through cancer treatment can be a very difficult time, physically, financially and emotionally. The Woods family could use our help. If you purchase a t-shirt, the Lost in the Woods logo pictured above will be printed on the sleeve. The three trees represent their daughters. Boy Scout Troop 191 & Autism Speaks - $324 Boy Scout Troop 191 raised money to support their troop and Autism Speaks. Troop 191 is based in Robinson, PA and are currently cleaning up an old cemetary with Civil War Veteran's, that hasn't been taken care of in years. This troop raised money for some new equipment and to help cover the cost of summer camp while at the same time shared the proceeds from the fundraiser with Autism Speaks. In the past, these boys have raised the money and worked hard preparing the land for a beautiful Veteran's memorial (pictured). This is a great group of boys doing great things in their community.   Chris & Kim Barrett Family - $390Chris, age 34, was in a motorcycle accident on September 19, 2009. He was life flighted to Memorial Medical Trauma Center in Johnstown Pa. His left knee cap was broke into several pieces, his left heel was torn away from his foot, the heel bone was exposed & fractured, he broke 4 toes and 3 bones in the top of his left foot. So far, Chris has had 2 surgeries to pin and wire all the broken bones and to reattach his heel. He will most likely have more surgeries and months of rehabilitation. Heel fractures are a very serious injury, they are slow healing and very painful. Dr.'s tell Chris it could take up to a year to heal completely. Even if the fracture heals properly, his foot may never be the same as it was before the injury. Another concern is the heel tissue. The heel skin is a specialized tissue and makes grafting very difficult. 1/3 of Chris's heel tissue has started to die just weeks after his accident. Chris is being treated by an Orthopedic surgeon, a Trauma Surgeon and a Plastic/Re-constructive Surgeon in a fight to save his foot. Chris is married to Kim (Lecorchick) Barrett and they have three children, Christopher (14), Anthony (11), and Nicholas(5). Chris is a Correctional Officer at F.C.I. Loretto, It is not certain when he will be able to return to work. All t-shirts purchased will have BARRETT printed on the sleeve.  Joe Parrish Family - $265Joe Parrish died as a result of a car accident on December 21, 2008. Joe was on his way to work in West Virginia, the roads were icy and he lost control of his vehicle. Joe leaves behind his wife Stacy and their 8 year old son, Gage. Stacy and Gage will receive the proceeds of your purchase to help them during this difficult time. This sale is organized by Joe Parrish�s nieces Chelsey, Tessa & Baylee to help their aunt Stacy and cousin Gage. All t-shirts purchased will have JOEY 1971-2008 printed on the sleeve in his memory.  Kylee Grabill - $590My name is Kylee Grabill, I just turned 21 on March 14th 2009. I live in Roaring Spring Pa and attend church at Faith Assembly of God in Roaring Spring. I started getting sick in November 2008, I was so bad that i couldn't sleep at night. I had so much pain in my stomach and couldn't keep any food in. We went to the emergency room a couple times and the blood work was coming back normal that nothing was wrong. We went in another time to the hospital and they referred me to the gasterologist. We went to the gasterologist and I had an upper GI. The doctor said that there was just a little red and that everything else looked fine. He then referred me to get a cat scan. The next day i went into the hospital to get my cat scan. They sent us back to the gasterologist to go over what they found, and then i was admitted into Altoona hospital right away. At that point we really didn't know what was going on or how serious things were. When we got to Altoona hospital they told us the report from the cat scan. They said that my lymph nodes were swollen, I had fluid around my heart and lungs, my spleen was swollen, and I had spots on my spine and hip. The doctors said that they wanted to do a biopsy to see what could be wrong. After a week they transported me to West Penn in Pittsburgh. By the time we got there I started to retain fluid, I went from 108lbs to 170lbs, so they had me in the Cardiac Care Unit to watch my heart rate. I had to have a chest tube put in to drain the fluids around my heart and lungs and a stomach tube to drain fluid from my stomach, and they also used lasers to remove fluids. While they were putting the chest tube in they took some tissue to test it and compare to what Altoona had from the biopsy. After testing the doctors diagnosed it as Anaplastic Large Cell Lymphoma. I am currently undergoing treatment. JOYCE WAGNER - $505 |
| Personal note from Kim (the mom of millionshirtmom) Choosing Lisa to start this Journey of giving was God sent; she is part of the inspiration for millionshirtmom. I believe people cross paths in this world for a purpose..I heard of Lisa through a fundraiser our school had for her family a few years ago, when she was first diagnosed, but we hadn't met. My twins Emily and Seth are in the same grade as her son Bradley. Seth and Bradley are good friends. I remember seeing Lisa last fall, at our son's football practice, she was there, having trouble walking, then in the wheelchair, obviously tired, but she was there. During the football season, we were scheduled to work a fundraiser together - same time, same place. And there she was with a positive attitude and volunteering her time, even with all she is going through. What a remarkable mother. When Lisa was told that I wanted to do this to help her, she contacted me, regarding a "giving back" event she is taking part in. Once again, I am amazed, here is a mother of three young children, facing terminal cancer, not able to work, and she wants to give back, to say thank you, to people who have helped her. The hardship this cancer has caused her both emotionally and financially is immeasurable. My new friend Lisa and her family need our help. Pink Panthers - $825 Personal note from Kim (the mom of millionshirtmom) I am honored to be featuring the Pink Panthers Organization. The founder of this group is an amazing young woman named Brittany. This group's endurance beyond a senior project is a testament to Brittany and all the Pink Panther members. The money they raise goes directly to benefit breast cancer patients. I have added pink t-shirts in support of breast cancer awareness and the Pink Panthers. I would like to thank Brittany, her mom Jane, Marge and all of the Pink Panthers for including millionshirtmom in their effort. Here is Brittany's story...... In the year 2000, I lost my Aunt Louise, my mother's sister, to breast cancer. In the year 2002, my mother lost another sister, my Aunt Ellen, to the disease. Both my grandmother and my great grandmother on my father's side of the family were diagnosed with breast cancer but they won their battle and are survivors. In 2004, my sophomore year of high school, as my senior project, I started a group called the Penn Cambria High School Pink Panthers A.B.C. I wanted to do more than just the normal senior project; I wanted to do something that would honor my aunts and celebrate my grandmothers. Yet, another one of my mother's sisters has been recently dianosed with breast cancer. Having this organization has helped my mother and my family cope with the reoccurrence of breast cancer. So far this amazing group of girls have sold hundreds of t-shirts and raised thousands of dollars to support the breast cancer survivors in our area. Our main goal is to help women battling breast cancer and give them the support they need and deserve. From get well cards to pink blankets and gas cards, the pink panthers do all they can to make breast cancer patients feel as important as they are. I am so proud of the group and everything that it has accomplished. I hope the Pink Panthers not only continue to help women in our area, but reach out to those who have no one else to turn to, no matter what the distance.   Austin LauderAustin Lauder, 8, was diagnosed with autism when he was 2 years old. His mom, Michelle, said she started to notice Austin wasn't walking or even trying to talk by the age of 1 and was also concerned that he preferred to play by himself. After his diagnosis, both Michelle and her son worked with an autism consultant. It isn't uncommon for autistic children to engage in some sort of self-stimulatory behavior, and for Austin, that behavior manifested itself in the form of him conversing with his hands. He even went as far as naming his hands "Vince" and "Oobi." Michelle explained that, at first, Vince and Oobi were friends of Austin, but recently he has taken to hitting himself. Austin also told his teacher he doesn't like Vince and Oobi and they don't like him. But a 2-year-old Yellow Labrador Retriever named Rosie is certain not only to like him, but also to love him. Rosie is currently undergoing training in California to be Austin's autism service dog. Some areas where Rosie will help include calming Austin down when he experiences an emotional outburst, and she will also be trained to physically block Austin from hitting himself. |
