MaxLove Project

These pictures make us so happy as they mark the return to gathering with friends in support of a great cause. It’s a win-win! Thisincrediblegroup of friends gathered for a beautiful casino night on Saturday, raising $10,000 in support of Russ Mckelvey’s @starklife.us #starknaked campaign for MaxLove Project! There are so many levels of goodness here! Thanks so much to Russ, his friends, and the Stark community for such generous and powerful support of MaxLove Project.... Together we’re making a difference! Follow this link to give in support of Russ’s campaign: https://www.mightycause.com/story/Russmaxlove Every dollar counts! #childhoodcancer #bethelight #givehope #giveback #maxloveproject

The childhood cancer journey has made Mother’s Day more dynamic and alive for us in many ways. For us, this day means more than the one holiday that brings sweet homemade cards, a break from doing the dishes, and yearly recognition of a mother’s work. We know motherhood that’s stretched us beyond our imagination of what’s humanly possible because we’re all built with a huge superpower love. For cancer mommas (and those with us who face the trauma of a life-threatening medi...cal diagnosis), from the moment our child is diagnosed, love gives us the superpowers we need to show up in pretty awe-inspiring ways. We handle it all, the complex medical language, intensive care, and the needs of the rest of our family. Moms in so many situations can identify with this. But we also grieve, hurt, face guilt, and are overwhelmed with feelings of inadequacy. We often tear ourselves down with feelings of not-enoughness. We struggle with trauma and PTS, all while forging ahead because our families need us. For those who then live through the death of their child and carry lifelong grief and the pain of complex traumas, it can feel like we’re coexisting in a completely different world. Mother’s Day can mean so many different things, often conflicting things, to each of us. Hugs all around. So today we want to honor and recognize ALL of the mommas in our community who show up every day for ALL of this complexity the joy, pain, grief, exhaustion, connection and beauty to love no matter what. ***Mommas, let’s make today a loving reminder to turn some of that superpower inward, not just outward. We deserve some of that same love that we so readily share with others. @daylightillustrations #childhoodcancer #mothersday

Our SuperKid Hero, Camila, was diagnosed with DIPG three years ago this month and her amazing momma posted this powerful reflection in honor of this milestone: We are so immensely thankful for this extra time we have with her and the path her journey has led so far. At the time of diagnosis, we opted out of any standard of care and made the difficult decision to forego anything that will 'prolong' her life (as we were told). We were ready to give her the time that she had le...ft, without hospitals. Three years later, she has had growth, she has had stability, she has had standard of care radiation therapy, she has been on a clinical trial and she has had alternative therapies like a ketogenic diet. We've been following her lead, as well as science, to make the best decisions we can for her. Going into her fourth year of being diagnosed with a terminal brain cancer we are accepting a new understanding of her condition--It will never be 'gone' but we are going to try everything we can to not let her cancer 'take over'. We are blessed with a lot of learnings, and support as we continue through all of these unknowns. Approaching this year we are also SO thankful how her radiation therapy worked for her on top of implementing a ketogenic diet! I have shared her scans from before radiation (right) to after (left). My hopes in sharing Camila's story and journey are to help other families affected by DIPG as well as other childhood cancers. Camila's thrivorship does not have to be singular--my hopes are we can help others. I have so much gratitude for Camila's team at Dana Farber, amazing non-profits like The Cure Starts Now funding important brain cancer researcher, organizations like MaxLove Project helping childhood cancer families with supportive therapies and all of the families I have met throughout this journey. Families of other warriors like Camila who inspire me everyday. A combination of science, and the environment we live, in my belief, holds the potential to combat disease like DIPG. There's hope through it all! Please join us on Camila’s team: https://www.facebook.com/CamilasArmy/ #dipg #braintumorawareness #welovecamila

Such a sweet story! We know first hand how much teachers matter to our kids in treatment. This is truly above and beyond.

Today is National Nurses Day! As cancer parents ourselves we can attest to the crucial role that nurses play in our lives and our children’s health & wellbeing. Nurses also play a major role in the MaxLove Project community as advocates and supporters of quality of life care. We nurses! Throughout the COVID our hero nurses have stood on the front lines to ensure our access to healthcare. We’re so grateful! Honor your favorite nurse hero with a big virtual hug by taggin...g them here! #childhoodcancer #nationalnursesday #bethelight #wenurses