St. Jude Christmas Pledge

After a night of bad weather, really bad weather,

I awaken this morning to the Christmas edition

of St. Jude Hospital pledge.

HOBL and I give monthly to St. Jude,

it's not much but it's giving back to children such as I was.

This special is one of those things that you want to shut off

so you don't think about it but at the same time, you '

are compelled to watch.

For me, I look at these children, their parents stories and

think, that was me circa 1968, my families lives.

Most days it is not something I think about, how lucky I am.

There was no St. Jude then and there was no cure for the

type of cancer I had called Wilms Tumor.

Listening to the families, I think these are the things my family

thought and felt. Radiation has changed lots since

my days, they can pinpoint the site, not damaging healthy tissue

but that old, Chemotherapy, it's worse to the body than the cancer is.

I am these children, I still live with the aftermath of having been 

a survivor, but there is no room for bitterness as I have said

so many times, the alternative was death.

I look at these little children and I think some are the age of Bean.

How in the world will we ever, ever, watch our precious Bean

go through what these children face daily. 

Yes, one of those things that you don't want to watch 

but you are compelled to do.

My money and my prayers will continue to 

go to the wonderful works of St. Jude hospital.