Tonight in Las Vegas, Criss Angel is hosting a huge fundraiser for childhood cancer in honor of his son, Johnny. Even bigger news is that the St. Baldrick's Foundation is one of the beneficiaries AND a 46 Momma from the original class of 2010 is shaving her head on stage as part of the event!
The Las Vegas community is so supportive of these events, so it will certainly be a success. As a preview and promotion for tonight's show, Criss released this video, which is as heartbreaking as it is beautiful.
Speaking of Vegas, our 46 Mommas Lucky 7 Shave in July was such a great event and a great time for everyone - I have to say it was my favorite Momma shave! There is truly something in the air at McMullan's Irish Pub, and the positive energy just radiates throughout the whole place. It was a special day for new and returning Mommas alike, and I'm thrilled to report that we have passed $1.9 million and are on our way to $2 million! We also got the honor of holding the $34 million sign to recognize the year-to-date total raised by all events for the St. Baldrick's Foundation. The Peachy Keens will be adding to that with four events over the next two weeks, so look out $35 million - here we come! For now, here are some favorite pictures of our Lucky 7 Shave. Thanks for your support, and Viva Las Mommas!
Alyson with the clippers - again!
Bekah and I celebrating our third time shaving together.
The amazing McMullan's crew!
Joining the Knights of the Bald Table as
Dame Courtney the Unbreakable, Maker of Mischief and Mirth, Daughter of the Lone Star,
Mother of Brilliant Lights, Sister of the Brave 46, Weaver of Words, Teller of Tales,
and Hopeful Citizen of a World without Childhood Cancer.
Hello! It's been a very busy two weeks, but we're back and we're good and we're excited to share what we've been up to! First off, and most important, today is July 29th, so Georgia is now NINE months away from Official Cancer-Freedom! We've been talking over ways to commemorate the Big Day, and whatever we decide, I can promise it will be as special as she is - so stay tuned!
When we last left off, we had just picked up Georgia from her writing conference at Sewanee. She had a fantastic experience, made many new friends, and spent quality time with her professor discussing her future as a writer and her options for college. The next 18 months or so will be full of conversations like that, and we're so proud of her for taking the initiative to ask questions and get advice from those in the know. Our girl is growing up, dreaming big, and setting her sights on a bright future - and we're thrilled to be swimming in her wake!
As I also mentioned in our last post, we picked up an extra passenger on our way to pick up Georgia from Sewanee. The story goes that after a pit stop at the Brinkley, Arkansas McDonald's, I
scooped up this lump of sugar in the parking lot. She was dirty,
dehydrated, and very upset with her situation, and her mama was nowhere
to be found. The vet in Memphis checked her out, cleaned her up, and
pronounced her "healthy and sooo cute." She was five weeks old and tipped
the scales at a scrappy 0.2 lbs - yes, 2/10 of a pound. The minute I saw
her, I knew she was born to be a Texas girl, and Clementine Brinkley has made herself very comfortable with us ever since.
In fundraising news, and the main reason we've been a bit quiet around ye ol' blog here, we just completed our third event in as many weeks, and we are a bit heady from the success! First up was my (ahem) high school reunion. The organizer is a dear friend, and he agreed to let me add a fundraising component to the weekend. Long story short, with a percentage of ticket sales, a silent auction, and four awesome shavees (which included an on-the-spot decision by a friend's fiance to join her brave betrothed in going bald - say that three times fast), we raised over $5600 for the St. Baldrick's Foundation! Everyone was so generous and engaged, it was quite a weekend for all - both in furthering our mission to end childhood cancer and in reconnecting with dear friends. So thank you, thank you, Class of '86!
My planning partner and soul brother, Greg
Next was the main event - the 46 Mommas Lucky 7 Shave! Despite the HEAT, Mommas came in from Hawaii to Rhode Island and everywhere in between, and we definitely had an event worthy of the bright lights of Las Vegas. I'll follow up with more details and pictures, but suffice to say, we are now $500 away from $1.9 Million and on our way to $2 Million! Here's a Good Morning, Las Vegas interview I did (on my birthday!) with some fellow Mommas to promote the event as well as a follow-up article on TODAY.com:
Finally, last night was our third event, the Austin Attorneys in the Arts show. I participated as a performer last year, and we were back again as the charity of choice for this year's show. I shared a short video about the 46 Mommas and St. Baldrick's and then I shared a bit about Georgia's journey and our involvement as a family in advocacy and fundraising. There was an audible gasp when I called Georgia up on stage, and it was a special moment for the audience to see her there, healthy and happy. She answered lots of questions and helped sell some of her original art, which made me very proud of her, once again. We raised about $1000 and are looking forward to our next event in September!
For now, though, we're slowing down for the last full week of the girls' summer at home. Ivy just finished up three weeks of her beloved creative writing camp, and on Friday, we're headed to Hunt, Texas to drop them both off for two weeks of fun and adventure at Camp Mystic! It's been such a great summer so far, and we plan to soak up every minute that's left.
We'll leave you with another, very fitting, moment to remember today - the day this whole crazy head-shaving thing started for us. Here's when the Peachy Keens first decided to Be Brave and Go Bald! Have a great weekend, y'all!
Our hearts are full of love and prayers for peace today for the Driscoll family. Avery passed away this morning, five years after she was diagnosed with a brain tumor. She was one of the brightest lights in Las Vegas - and beyond - and was a tireless advocate for her fellow childhood cancer warriors. I was very fortunate to meet the Driscolls on my last trip to Las Vegas, but we have all been inspired by Avery and following her journey for several years. You can learn more about this amazing young lady here, and donate to the St. Baldrick's Foundation in her name.
I was very lucky to be able to travel to Las Vegas this weekend for an amazing St. Baldrick's event - the McMullan's Irish Pub event! I met Brian and Lynn McMullan this summer at the VEO conference I attended, and they have been so incredible in helping us plan the 46 Mommas Lucky 7 Shave at the pub. Their event is one of the top fundraisers for St. Baldrick's each year - shaving over 400 heads and raising over $500,000 in one day! The joint was buzzing for sure, and it was so fun and so inspiring to see. In fact ...
Oops, I did it again ... Shave #6!
I accepted an on-stage challenge, and between my trusty assistant, Alyson, helping to work the crowd and a few online donations, we raised $1500!
As exciting as it all was, the biggest, and most touching, moment of the day was when Criss Angel dropped by. He shared a few words about his son, Johnny, and his current treatment for ALL, and then, as further proof of his generosity and dedication to fighting childhood cancer, he presented Kathleen Ruddy, the CEO of St. Baldrick's, with a check for $100,000. Amazing.
It's quite something to be among people who are truly moving mountains and making a difference for these kids, and we're so honored to be a small part of it. Alyson and I are looking forward to a great event of our own in July, but we'll be energized by this weekend for a long time to come. Thank you, Las Vegas!
It's been a busy week, and the biggest and best part was celebrating Ivy's 12th birthday! First, we had bookend birthday cakes at home:
Traditional birthday morning wake-up call
More cake - and presents! - after dinner
Then, the whole crew plus Ivy's friend, Eden, went on a high-flying adventure - indoor skydiving! It was such a blast, but actually, it was also a bit of a workout! Everyone enjoyed it, though, as you can see ...
The Flying Ivy!
The Flying Georgia!
Really, really fun - y'all should try it! Back on Earth, Georgia shared one of her poems from creative writing camp at the Badgerdog anthology book release. Ivy had choir rehearsal that morning, so she missed the reading (and the picture : )), but Cousin Claire was there to get her book!
On Sunday, Georgia and her brave, sweet daddy went to the ACL Music Festival at Zilker Park. This was their second adventure, and again, they met up with her friends and their parents and had a wonderful time. We love Austin, Texas!
15.
This is Homecoming Week at Ann Richards, so among the dress up days they had was Decades Day. Our 20s and 50s girls say, "It's the berries, Daddy-O!"
And finally, I'm off to Las Vegas tomorrow for the Circus Couture St. Baldrick's event I attended last year. I'll be meeting up with my best Momma partner-in-crime, Alyson, and we'll be doing some groundwork for bringing the 46 Mommas to Vegas this summer for our Lucky 7 shave! We're so excited about this great opportunity - especially because we'll hit TWO million dollars raised next year! - so stay tuned for more details. Until then, thanks for Keepin' Georgia on Your Mind ... and Viva Las Mommas!
Things are already kicking into high gear this second week of the Month of Georgia! Holiday events, studying for finals, and a "new" look for our girl this Wednesday ... stay tuned! She's got a big swim meet on Saturday, too, so lots happening in the next two weeks. We're looking forward to just relaxing at HOME over the break, assuming our kitchen is fully functional by Christmas! : )
Yesterday, we participated in our neighborhood holiday bazaar, and it was a lovely day! Ivy has been hard at work over the last two weeks and made a few dozen ornaments to sell for donations to the St. Baldrick's Foundation. Her melted crayon globes and scrap ribbon trees were a big hit, and she raised a cool $100! We're so proud of her initiative, creativity, and generosity. What a SuperSib she is.
Her inspiration and her hero, always
And in other fundraising news, the 46 Mommas will be shaving in Las Vegas on Sunday, July 24th! We're honoring the roots of the first St. Baldrick's pub events and holding our shave at McMullan's Irish Pub!
The McMullan family graciously offered us this venue where they have
raised hundreds of thousands of dollars for St. Baldrick's over the last
10 years, and we are thrilled to continue the tradition! I'll have more info and a new fundraising link up after the first of the year - you can help us
hit $2 million for childhood cancer research! Viva Las Mommas!
Last Sunday, I had the distinct pleasure of attending a magical fundraising event in Las Vegas. Circus Couture is part-circus, part-fashion show, ALL-heart and hope, and it benefits the Children's Specialty Center of Nevada and the St. Baldrick's Foundation. I met up with my dear Momma friend from California, Alyson, and we had a fabulous time watching the Cirque du Soleil performers and the lively auction happening throughout the night. One of the top bidders was Criss Angel, who, besides donating over $20,000 in the auction, also spontaneously donated a custom motorcycle, which fetched nearly $38,000 on the spot! It was very exciting and inspiring, and he couldn't have been more gracious. Support like that is critical to raising awareness and much-needed funds, and for him to be so engaged in the event and the mission was icing on the cake. It was a very successful and entertaining show, and I'm making it an annual adventure from now on!
Alyson and I with Erica Linz, co-founder, performer, and head rabble rouser for the event.
She shaved her head onstage as part of her act, and it was beautiful!
Criss Angel, a real softie trying to look tough
We also ran into Kathleen Ruddy, CEO of St. Baldrick's, and got a quick pic for the
Our own hero has her very first swim meet in the morning, and she is beyond excited! She'll be swimming the 50 and 100 meter freestyle, and we'll all be there to cheer her on. We'll report back with all the details, but any extra good vibrations you can send her in the morning would be much-appreciated! Thanks, y'all!
What a week! We are still floating on air after the grant announcement last week, and over the weekend, I had an incredible time at the VEO conference in Los Angeles. Sitting in a room full of people as passionate as we are about this cause was so inspiring - and energizing! By Saturday night, I had an entire event planned in my head! I'm looking forward to taking some of the new ideas and new connections I made and turning them into a stellar event next year, so stay tuned ...
Momma Alyson, my partner-in-planning
A great team of folks from Las Vegas
In the meantime, today is my birthday! I can't thank all of you enough for your support over the past five years (see the post below!), but we know that we still have a ways to go in the fight against childhood cancer. Nothing could make me happier on my birthday (or any day!) than a donation to the St. Baldrick's Foundation, so if you want to be a hero for kids with cancer, click HERE to help fund the latest and greatest childhood cancer research. Thank you!
Tuesday's endocrinology appointment went very well, and although we still have lab results and bone scans to get back, all signs are pointing upward and onward! They were pleased - and amazed - by how much Georgia has grown since going off treatment, especially in the last year or so, and the bone age test that's coming up will show us if her growth plates have fully fused as they should. Unless the labs tell us something different, we'll continue the supplement regimen as it is for at least another year, but she'll need some level of supplement throughout her life to stay ahead of any further damage and to keep from reversing the good work she's done over the last three years. And because she hasn't had the headaches she was experiencing last spring, we're confident they were blood sugar-related. As long as she continues to fuel up after exercise, she shouldn't have any further problems there either. So all in all, Georgia is in great shape heading into her 5th year off treatment - 13 months until the BIG day!
Celebrating 47 months with migas, as you do.
As much as we're always looking forward, we're often looking back as well, and it was this time last year that Ivy braved the shave in honor of Georgia. That was really something, wasn't it?
She still talks about that whole experience, and we're still just as proud of her as ever. And one year later, she's got another new look ...
Braces!
She's looking at about 18 months with her new tin grin, just like Georgia, and she's actually thrilled about it. As if I could love that smile any more than I already do ... : )
Somehow, April starts tomorrow, and we've got a few events on the near horizon. We've been invited to a St. Baldrick's shave at UT next weekend, our annual blood drive is in May, and we're planning our MaxLove ambassador trip to the clinic - thanks to everyone who donated! We're also working on a couple of other fundraising ideas for the spring and the fall, and we hope to have details on those soon. And in just under four months, I'll be shaving with the 46 Mommas in Las Vegas for our Lucky 7 event! So, lots of opportunities to raise awareness, hope, and funds for research, and we're more than happy to be able to do it. Thank y'all for your continued support!
Yes, you read that right. Two months from TODAY, I am shaving my head for the Lucky 7th time with the 46 Mommas Shave for the Brave in Fabulous Las Vegas. I'll join the Knights of the Bald Table for seven years of service to the St. Baldrick's Foundation
and get to celebrate my birthday with the most incredible women on the
planet. But I'll also be honoring Georgia and every kid diagnosed with
cancer by raising funds for research, which is the point of all of this
crazy headshaving. I keep doing it because kids still need cures and
safer treatments. I keep doing it because hair grows back. Kids don't. So please put a price on my head and help me conquer childhood cancer. We can do this, y'all! xoxo
And we picked up an extra passenger on our way there ...
Introducing Clementine Brinkley Moore!
Stay tuned for more about both of those sweet girls, but for now, we've got bags to unpack, new family members to assimilate, and quick reminders to give:
Two weeks until my birthday and the 46 Mommas Lucky 7 Shave in Las Vegas! Please consider a donation on my head in support of the St. Baldrick's Foundation and childhood cancer research! Thank you!!!
I was diagnosed with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia (ALL) on the day after my 10th birthday. My mom and I started this blog to share the details of my journey - and my victory! Please read and learn how you can help us end childhood cancer for good.
Send your mailing address and number of bracelets to: keepingeorgiaonyourmind@gmail.com. Thanks, y'all!
Plus Antarctica, Australia, Canada, Chile, Denmark, Finland, France, India, Ireland, Italy, Mexico, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Romania, Rwanda, Saudi Arabia, Spain, Turkey, the UK and the US Virgin Islands! Also? SPACE!
