Mimi posted the following note on Facebook yesterday. She is pleading for everyone to help her raise Childhood Cancer Awareness.

Feel free to copy this and send it to the media. Blog about it. Twitter about it. Post this on Facebook. Email this link to your friends, family, and coworkers. Spread the word. I urge you to please help us raise awareness.

Our children are dying… What will you do about it?

Please feel free to copy and send to the media . Please DO IT!

I am a 34 year old mother of 4 boys. I wish I could have stated 4 “healthy” boys there…

Six months before diagnosis

Unfortunately, one of them was diagnosed with cancer on March 13th 2007, 2 months short of being 4 years old. A golf ball sized tumor was removed from his brain and was proved cancerous. My son had become a cancer patient at age 4. Radiations, chemo, MRIs, Spinal taps, Bone marrow aspiration…Our daily lives… Until, after given a 75 to 80% chance at a cure, Julian relapsed, then a couple of months later put on hospice and eventually died on January 19, 2008.

The thing is, Julian is NOT an isolated case. 12,500 children are diagnosed each year (around 35 per day ) in the USA with some form of childhood cancer (brain tumors, bone cancer, soft tissues cancer , blood cancer, central nervous system cancer. Each of these can all be divided into more specific groups.) About 3,000 children die every year from any of those. That is about 8 children per day. So far this year 1,100 children have died of childhood cancer in the US alone… Our children are dying …

During treatment

What we , as cancer parents, wonder is WHEN we will see this horror be acknowledged by the media, when will CNN ‘s headlines be about the kids … I, we , want to read , one day, as national headlines :”KIDS GET CANCER TOO !!!” , we want to see awareness spread everywhere , GOLD for every one to see…

The children are our future. We HAVE to save them … Why do we not see the media get involved? Are they worried about scaring parents of healthy children? Maybe… Do they not want to write about one sadder story? Probably … But THIS is reality.

People NEED to know. We don’t have a choice but live it every day. I have seen my child go from being a happy healthy little guy to him being paralyzed from the neck down, then in a coma, and then gone in less than a year. I watched him take his last breaths gasping for air until the last second. I held my 4 year-old’s lifeless body as did his 10 year old brother. And again, Julian is only one of 3,000 children who died to cancer in 2008.

One week before Heaven

Between May 2nd and May 13th, I went to the celebrations of life of 4 little boys (age 4 and under) FOUR!! In 10 days! And with each little one I kissed goodnight, my anger grew… And with each friend I see walking behind a tiny casket, my hope fades…

When is this going to be a story “big” enough for someone to share it with the world? When will it be enough children being diagnosed or becoming angels for someone to realize things MUST change?

Don’t make us pray for one of your children to get sick to have your attention. Do something! If you need stories to back up all this, we have stories, hundreds, thousands of them; you just have to ask …

And remember , KIDS GET CANCER TOO and it could be your child … Maybe not today , or tomorrow , but if it happens , hopefully someone will have stepped up to the plate and childhood cancer wont be such a scary thing anymore…

Mimi Avery ( 05-18-2009)

You will NEVER be forgotte

If you would like to make a donation in memory of Julian, please visit CureSearch, National Childhood Cancer Foundation.

He plans to announce the winner on Ryan Seacrest’s morning radio show on Friday, April 24.

Many people are calling it a publicity stunt. Maybe it is. But I figured it wouldn’t hurt to give the CANcer Crushers a little plug. We would love to get this donation for American Cancer Society.

If you have a Twitter account, please cut and paste the following message to your Twitter stream.

RT @RealHughJackman ~ We are kids recycling cans to raise $$$ to fight cancer. Save a can! Save a life! http://cancercrushers.com/

If you don’t have a Twitter account, go to www.Twitter.com and sign up. It’s free, it’s easy, and it’s a lot of fun! Make sure you add CANcer Crushers as your friend.

Mr. Jackman, if you’re reading this, please consider the CANcer Crushers. We’re saving the environment and helping to save lives at the same time! You can easily make your donation directly to American Cancer Society on behalf of our team right here.

Unfortunately, about halfway through, the electricity went out and CiCi’s had to close early. Many of you were turned away at the door.

Therefore, CiCi’s generously extended our fundraiser until this Sunday. So you can go into CiCi’s anytime between now and Sunday night and tell them you are there to support the CANcer Crushers. We’ll get credit for that. You can also order out!

Thanks again for your support!

• Hippo Webkinz
• Cocker Spaniel Webkinz
• Schnauzer Webkinz
• Bullfrog Lil’ Kinz
• Chickadee Lil’ Kinz
• School Essentials Pack (contains two pocket folders, pen & mechanical pencil set, spiral notebook, zippered pencil case, ruler, and online gift for your Webkinz pet)
• Wheel of Wow Tee
• Pet Coat
• Stone Wash Jeans
• Gift Bag
• 2 Packs of Webkinz Trading Cards
• Candy Bash Magnetic Bookmark

Raffle tickets are $1 each or 6 for $5.

We will draw the winner at Relay For Life on April 17, 2009. You do not need to be present to win. Plus, if you do not live locally, we will be happy to ship it to you if you win.

To purchase tickets:

1. Go to our Relay For Life team page.
2. Click Donate to make a donation. You can make your donation on behalf of the team or any of the team members.
3. Fill in the information as required.
4. Contact us to let us know how much you donated and how many raffle tickets you need. We will make sure your raffle tickets get put in the drawing.

Good Luck!

Raffle tickets are $1 each or 6 for $5.

We will draw the winner at Relay For Life on April 17, 2009. You do not need to be present to win. Plus, if you do not live locally, we will be happy to ship it to you if you win.

To purchase tickets:

1. Go to our Relay For Life team page.
2. Click Donate to make a donation. You can make your donation on behalf of the team or any of the team members.
3. Fill in the information as required.
4. Contact us to let us know how much you donated and how many raffle tickets you need. We will make sure your raffle tickets get put in the drawing.

Good Luck!

This chair and ottoman combination is valued at $225.

We plan to put this beautiful chair in a silent auction at our campsite at Relay For Life. So make sure you drop by and place your bid.

Bargain Depot is family owned and operated. They have televisions, mattresses, furniture, and more! Come bargain with Bargain Depot. They have the best prices in town.

They are located at 3157 Denton Highway in the Haltom Plaza Shopping Center.

817-222-0803

Thank you, Bargain Depot!

So make plans to join us for dinner on Wednesday night! We would love to have your support.

When paying, please make sure you tell them you are there to support the CANcer Crushers. That way we will get credit for your visit. (They need to push a special button on the register.)

Please help us spread the word!

PS. If you’re watching your waistline, CiCi’s has a really good salad bar!

The kids made $91 for American Cancer Society in only two short hours! That brought their fund raising total to $3,922 so far.

Thanks also to all the wonderful customers who made it possible.