Chloe's Cards for Kids with Cancer

Ever since Wren was diagnosed with cancer, Chloe has wanted to help kids and their families who were going through the same struggles that we experienced. For several years she has been trying to think of what she might be able to do.

This fall I selected a few of my favourite pictures that Chloe has drawn and I made them into art cards with help from our friend Facundo Gastiazoro. They are 4" x 4" and there are 10 different designs.

Chloe is selling these note cards to raise money for the BC Childhood Cancer Parents Association.

 http://bcccpa.org/

This organization funds research for treatments to childhood cancer, and also supports kids with cancer and their families. They helped our family when we needed it most, particularly in the first weeks after Wren's diagnosis.

Chloe's art cards are $2.50 each (they come with an envelope), or all 10 for $20. We are only selling them in Smithers for now because we haven't figured out how to deal with postage.

If you are interested in supporting Chloe's effort, please get in touch.

Take care,

Patrick, Paula, Chloe and Wren.

Chloe's Cards for Kids with Cancer

Ever since Wren was diagnosed with cancer, Chloe has wanted to help kids and their families who were going through the same struggles that we experienced. For several years she has been trying to think of what she might be able to do.

This fall I selected a few of my favourite pictures that Chloe has drawn and I made them into art cards with help from our friend Facundo Gastiazoro. They are 4" x 4" and there are 10 different designs.

Chloe is selling these note cards to raise money for the BC Childhood Cancer Parents Association.

 http://bcccpa.org/

This organization funds research for treatments to childhood cancer, and also supports kids with cancer and their families. They helped our family when we needed it most, particularly in the first weeks after Wren's diagnosis.

Chloe's art cards are $2.50 each (they come with an envelope), or all 10 for $20. We are only selling them in Smithers for now because we haven't figured out how to deal with postage.

If you are interested in supporting Chloe's effort, please get in touch.

Take care,

Patrick, Paula, Chloe and Wren.

Flower Girls

On September 14 we returned to BC Children's Hospital for Wren's latest check-up. Dr. Davis was happy with her progress and the tests were unable to detect any cancer. The next check-up is three months from now.

Wren's Uncle Mike married Cheryl in Port Alberni on September 15. It was a beautiful occasion and we were grateful to participate.

 

Wren and Chloe were very enthusiastic flower girls.

 

Flower Girls

On September 14 we returned to BC Children's Hospital for Wren's latest check-up. Dr. Davis was happy with her progress and the tests were unable to detect any cancer. The next check-up is three months from now.

Wren's Uncle Mike married Cheryl in Port Alberni on September 15. It was a beautiful occasion and we were grateful to participate.

 

Wren and Chloe were very enthusiastic flower girls.

 

It has been a fine summer in Smithers--Chloe and Wren have played outside for much of it.

Wren is doing very well and has reached a few exciting milestones, including learning to ride on two wheels. She figured this out with her good friend Sacha on the morning that Canadian Ryder Hesjedal won the Giro D'Italia.

Wren has long shown an interest in playing the violin and we finally tracked one down. Here, the early efforts.

One of the highlights from the summer was a canoe-camping trip. Both girls are fine paddlers and enthusiastic campers. We spent two nights on a rocky island that was covered with blueberries. Wren spent much of the time making blueberry juice, a trick she learned from her cousins during a family reunion this summer. Wren also caught her first fish, a little rainbow trout.

 In a few days we will be back at BC Children's Hospital for Wren's next check-up. These are always anxious days. A scare back in July had us worried that cancer had returned, but we learned that the pain in Wren's knee was merely bone malformation relating to months of chemotherapy. As odd as it may sound, this was welcomed news, and her knee has not been troubling her since.

What adventures await?



Patrick

It has been a fine summer in Smithers--Chloe and Wren have played outside for much of it.

Wren is doing very well and has reached a few exciting milestones, including learning to ride on two wheels. She figured this out with her good friend Sacha on the morning that Canadian Ryder Hesjedal won the Giro D'Italia.

Wren has long shown an interest in playing the violin and we finally tracked one down. Here, the early efforts.

One of the highlights from the summer was a canoe-camping trip. Both girls are fine paddlers and enthusiastic campers. We spent two nights on a rocky island that was covered with blueberries. Wren spent much of the time making blueberry juice, a trick she learned from her cousins during a family reunion this summer. Wren also caught her first fish, a little rainbow trout.

 In a few days we will be back at BC Children's Hospital for Wren's next check-up. These are always anxious days. A scare back in July had us worried that cancer had returned, but we learned that the pain in Wren's knee was merely bone malformation relating to months of chemotherapy. As odd as it may sound, this was welcomed news, and her knee has not been troubling her since.

What adventures await?



Patrick

Good news from latest check-up

We've just been to Vancouver for Wren's latest 3-month check-up and the news was good. She is doing great. Her hearing loss from the chemotherapy treatment was not as bad as expected, though it is something that we will have to be mindful of and issues may arise in the future. There are no signs of neuroblastoma. Her remaining kidney is working well and appears to be compensating adequately and her bloodwork is very close to normal. The doctors and nurses were happy to see her, and we also got a chance to visit with friends and family in Vancouver. Chloe even read books to and played chase with Phoebe, who was born while we were staying at her house when Wren was in treatment two years ago--a stark reminder of the rapid passage of time.

Wren is a happy and active little rascal and recently had her first dance performance. She also learned to ride a two-wheeled bicycle on the same morning that Canadian Ryder Hesjedal won the Giro d'Italia. She was clearly inspired by Ryder's efforts.

Chloe continues to play the fiddle and remains a huge support for her sister.

All is well.

P2, C and W.

Good news from latest check-up

We've just been to Vancouver for Wren's latest 3-month check-up and the news was good. She is doing great. Her hearing loss from the chemotherapy treatment was not as bad as expected, though it is something that we will have to be mindful of and issues may arise in the future. There are no signs of neuroblastoma. Her remaining kidney is working well and appears to be compensating adequately and her bloodwork is very close to normal. The doctors and nurses were happy to see her, and we also got a chance to visit with friends and family in Vancouver. Chloe even read books to and played chase with Phoebe, who was born while we were staying at her house when Wren was in treatment two years ago--a stark reminder of the rapid passage of time.

Wren is a happy and active little rascal and recently had her first dance performance. She also learned to ride a two-wheeled bicycle on the same morning that Canadian Ryder Hesjedal won the Giro d'Italia. She was clearly inspired by Ryder's efforts.

Chloe continues to play the fiddle and remains a huge support for her sister.

All is well.

P2, C and W.

All is Well

Wren's last check up was February 10th and results showed no signs of cancer. These check ups are always anxious times, but there is little that can be done. Part of the anxiety arises from the fact that "no news is good news"--the results can take several days unless they discover something worrying, in which case the results are rapid. This cycle will continue to repeat every three months into the distant future.

We were fortunate to tie in this check up with a wonderful trip to visit family in Denver, Houston, Pacific Grove and Victoria. It was an ambitious piece of traveling, and Wren and Chloe handled it with grace. Many happy memories were made.

Wren is an energetic and happily growing little girl. She has been enjoying cross-country skiing and going to Strong Start, which is like preschool with parents.  She has also been inspired by Chloe's recent violin lessons and has decided to play as well.

As you can see, here she is playing her Hawaiian ukulele like a violin, complete with fleece chin rest. It sounds a little like slide guitar. She practices daily.

Chloe has also been skiing quite a bit and is equally enthusiastic about the fiddle. She completed a 3 km ski race a few weekends ago.

We are gearing up for the maple syrup season and have our first batch of sap boiling on the wood stove. In the coming weeks we will be hauling hundreds of litres of sap out of the woods to boil on our little evaporator. We made enough syrup last year to make it right through the winter, and still have a little bit left. Ask anyone who has tried it, pretty good stuff.

The snow is slowly melting, but there still must be nearly two feet of it in the yard. At this rate, I think that the ice from the rink will last well into June!

All is well. We hope that you are well too.

Patrick, Paula, Chloe and Wren.

All is Well

Wren's last check up was February 10th and results showed no signs of cancer. These check ups are always anxious times, but there is little that can be done. Part of the anxiety arises from the fact that "no news is good news"--the results can take several days unless they discover something worrying, in which case the results are rapid. This cycle will continue to repeat every three months into the distant future.

We were fortunate to tie in this check up with a wonderful trip to visit family in Denver, Houston, Pacific Grove and Victoria. It was an ambitious piece of traveling, and Wren and Chloe handled it with grace. Many happy memories were made.

Wren is an energetic and happily growing little girl. She has been enjoying cross-country skiing and going to Strong Start, which is like preschool with parents.  She has also been inspired by Chloe's recent violin lessons and has decided to play as well.

As you can see, here she is playing her Hawaiian ukulele like a violin, complete with fleece chin rest. It sounds a little like slide guitar. She practices daily.

Chloe has also been skiing quite a bit and is equally enthusiastic about the fiddle. She completed a 3 km ski race a few weekends ago.

We are gearing up for the maple syrup season and have our first batch of sap boiling on the wood stove. In the coming weeks we will be hauling hundreds of litres of sap out of the woods to boil on our little evaporator. We made enough syrup last year to make it right through the winter, and still have a little bit left. Ask anyone who has tried it, pretty good stuff.

The snow is slowly melting, but there still must be nearly two feet of it in the yard. At this rate, I think that the ice from the rink will last well into June!

All is well. We hope that you are well too.

Patrick, Paula, Chloe and Wren.