Going to 11

Even though it seems like she just started 6th grade, Georgia has been at the Ann Richards School for over four years, and this week, she's planning her schedule for her JUNIOR year! And equally hard for me to wrap my head around is that she'll be taking AP Calculus! Is there anything this girl can't do?!

She once again served as a tour guide at the Open House last week, and the mighty Ann Richards Swim Team - including your favorite relay anchor - qualified for the regional swim meet after a great showing at the district meet. They may not be the fastest ones in the pool, but all of the girls try their very best, and they're having a great time together, so it really is a win-win for all! 

We're working on our fundraising plan for this  year and will update soon with some of those details. For now, we thank you again and again for all of your support over the last six years. Georgia just marked 45 months off treatment, and you're a HUGE part of her continued success!

The Moon and Stars

Well, we've got the first two weeks back at school under our belts, and we're off to a great spring semester! Georgia has two more months of swim season, and Ivy has started rehearsals with her girls' advocacy performance group. Driving practice is going well, too! We're also planning our trip to Boston and already talking about some summer plans. In particular, Georgia is considering applying for a young writer's conference at Sewanee! It's a very competitive program, so it's a real long-shot, but she's up for the challenge. Besides, she's handled much bigger fish ... and she happens to be one.

We also know that Georgia is a STAR, in more ways than one, and the Moon and Stars happen to be on our mind right now. In case you missed the President's final State of the Union address last week, he announced a “moonshot” to cure cancer: a new national effort to conquer cancer once and for all. This is beautiful music to our ears, of course, but just as it took thousands of people and hours and millions of dollars to get us to the moon, it will take that and then some to bring an end to cancer. One quick and simple way to help is to contact your representatives on Capitol Hill and urge them to cosponsor the STAR Act. You've stepped up for us before, and we're asking you to please do it again - we've got the momentum, so let's use it! To the MOON, y'all!

Happy 2016!

We have to start this new year with a new, big THANK YOU! Because of your generosity and support, the Georgia and the Peachy Keens Hero Fund raised over $52,000 last year - FAR surpassing our goal of $15K for 15 in '15! We had several friends step up to shave, other friends organizing fundraisers, and one friend (thank you, Heather!) who directed her own team's fundraising to our Hero Fund. This cooperative effort mirrors the way things are getting done in the childhood cancer research community, with doctors and scientists across different studies and institutions collaborating and sharing their findings. We are all working toward the common goal of cures and safer, less-toxic treatments, and EVERY dollar makes a difference, so thank you, thank you, THANK YOU! And stay tuned for details of our plans for 2016!

After a grand birthday Day of Fun, we rang in the New Year with a delicious dinner and a round of vintage video games and pinball machines. We had star sparklers and sparkling grape juice at midnight and enjoyed one more cake! Six years past diagnosis, a phenomenal fundraising year, and a bright year ahead - we are so grateful!