We always said that when the joy of bringing hope and smiles to pediatric cancer patients through Anna’s Angel Fund is outweighed by the burden of living their grief and sadness with them, we would stop.  We have reached that place.

Anna remains cancer free and her Angel Fund has served to reinforce to our family just how blessed we are.  Not only does she have life, but because of this journey we have also been granted the gift of having you in our lives.  As devastating as pediatric cancer has been for us, it has also allowed us to be surrounded by many of the most wonderful people in the world.  Some of our angels were already family and friends, some we’ve met in person through the years, and still others have become a part of our family “virtually”.  But all of you are precious to us and have a special place in our hearts.  Since the fall of 2003, you have donated almost a half million dollars to Anna’s Angel Fund! You have drastically changed so many lives for the better, providing what these children needed most – hope.

Yet the weight of the never-ending tragedies has also taken a toll on us.  We constantly re-live the heartbreak, the pain, and loses that Anna has personally endured.  And we continue to lose precious little friends.  We’ve had a few scares with Anna recently, but now feel certain that her symptoms were most likely brought on by the losses of treasured friends that she has suffered in the last few months.  The daily tragedies we face with other children, especially those who are close to us, have been hitting a little too close to home.  Among other things, they are vivid reminders to her that she, too, is vulnerable to a recurrence.

And so we move on, with reluctant but hopeful hearts, knowing it is the right decision for Anna and for us.  Our goal now is to help Anna redefine herself, not as a cancer survivor and one who constantly looks back, reliving her battle.  Rather we hope to help her see herself as a college student who has a future, and as a young woman who can always find new ways to make a difference in this world.  She has many issues and challenges as a result of her battle with cancer, but she continues to bravely face them and we are so very proud of her.

As we shift our thinking to the future, we will take a much needed break completely from the world of pediatric cancer.  But periodically we will be pouring our efforts into the work of CURE Childhood Cancer (www.curechildhoodcancer.org).  Without the bureaucracy that impedes progress in so many larger organizations, CURE has been making great strides in finding less toxic treatments and cures for our children.  Their support for this research goes directly to the teams of doctors and researchers from Egleston and Emory (here in Atlanta) who are working together.  We believe that focusing our own support on helping find cures, rather than on the effects of pediatric cancer, will be the positive change we so desperately need.  CURE’s Executive Director, Kristin Connor, is an amazing woman and friend.  Kristin’s son, Brandon, was diagnosed with cancer – and also granted a miracle.  Kristin was so moved by the grace poured out on her family that she quit her job as an attorney and dedicated her life to finding cures for other children.  I admire her greatly and she will forever be a hero to me.

It would mean the world to us if, in the future, you would also choose to shift your support to CURE, in honor of Anna and these children we so dearly love.  CURE encourages us to “Imagine a world without childhood cancer”.  It is time for us to do just that and re-focus in a way that is positive for our family.  We hope and pray that you will want to join us.

Anna’s first big event to support CURE’s efforts in finding better treatments and cures will be an annual event called Lauren’s Run.  We’ve always participated, but never tried to organize a team.  We felt it was too much to ask our angels to support Lauren’s Run as well as Anna’s Angel Fund.  But this year, on Sunday, May 2, Anna will have her own team and we hope you will be a part of it! Lauren’s Run, followed by a picnic with tons of fun activities for kids, is held at the Concourse Office Park at I-285 and Peachtree Dunwoody Road.

If you have any interest in supporting or being on Anna’s team, we would be thrilled to have you!  Please email us at Lhanger@clear.net or drop us a note by mail to the address below.  When the planning begins, we will be sure to send you all the information about joining us, or if you’d prefer, make a donation to support her team.  Either way, we will make sure you get Anna’s team t-shirt!

With heavy but certain hearts, we end this journey to being another.  May God bless you for the impact you have had on us and the difference you have made in the lives of so many children.  Thank you so much.

Forever Grateful,

Lisa, Larry and Anna

Anna’s Angel Fund

P.O. Box 451036

Atlanta, GA  31145

“For everything there is a season, and a time for every purpose under heaven…”

Ecclesiastes 3:1-8

“What we have done for ourselves alone dies with us; what we have done for others and the world remains and is immortal.”

Albert Pike

Seeing your child suffer is the hardest thing I can imagine as a mother.  But watching another family that we love trying to navigate their way through the process of losing their only child is also devastating.

Anna was diagnosed on June 9, 2003 and was immediately admitted to the hospital.  Within two days, she was on the operating table.  But the day before her surgery, Anna’s surgeon took us down the hall to meet another family who had been through the exact same surgery just a few days before.  This sweet family was huddled together in their 2 1/2 yr. old daughter’s hospital room.  They were the first people we met in this new world of pediatric cancer, and we have kept up with them since that day.  Our families were so similar.  We both had only one precious child, a daughter.  And they were both just beginning the fight for their lives.

Fast forward 6 years…their little girl is a beautiful 9 yr. old now.  But her story has taken a crushing turn.  She has relapsed and her life is slipping away.  It’s only been a couple of months, and her cancer has taken an obvious toll on her little body.  She can’t walk without help, has trouble getting food on her fork, and an even greater challenge to get the food to her mouth.  In order to control the pain in her head, she’s on massive doses of a steroid which has packed 20 lbs on her little frame and wreaked havoc with her emotions.  We all pray for a miracle.  Other than that, her only hope is an experimental treatment at St. Jude’s in Tennessee.  But St. Jude’s has already filled all the places for children in the study, and she is the third child on the waiting list.  She doesn’t have time to wait.  And so they also pray that they will have time to raise enough money to grant her last wish – a trip to Disney World.

Anna would gladly send them on that trip if she could.  She is sending $500, but will only be able to do more if our angels have the resources to donate.  This little girl is so precious to us, and yet  her story is not unique.  There are so many other children we have only heard about whose pain and needs are just as critical.  We pray that you will be able to help us care for them.

First, two little girls, fighting for their lives, without a mom or dad…how unthinkable.  Each has just completed a bone marrow transplant which takes them as close to death as possible, in order to give them a chance at life.  But both are fighters, and by the grace of God they have the will to fight through the pain and sadness that greets them with every new day.  Their illnesses are like a monster, constantly threatening to steal their happiness, their peace, even their lives.  And no matter what their diagnosis or the outcome, to some extent, it always succeeds.

$90 Medical Supplies, $250 Kroger gift card, $250 QuikTrip gas card

Sweet little girl from Columbus, GA who just completed her transplant.  Because her mother passed away, her precious grandmother now cares for her.  The social worker said this grandmother is “absolutely the sweetest woman I’ve met in a while.”   Since being released from the hospital, they’ve been living at the Ronald McDonald House and will stay there until she’s allowed to go home.  They have very little money to live on and Anna was asked by their social worker if she could help them with food and gas expenses.

$250 Kroger, $250 QuikTrip gas card

13 year old girl, fighting Neuroblastoma.  Although she has also just completed a bone marrow transplant, for the next six weeks she will have daily radiation treatments.  Once she completes her radiation, she will have to begin another experimental treatment.  This type of pediatric cancer is one of the hardest to beat.  It is relentless.  Because her mother is deceased she lives with an older sister.  Social worker requested assistance with the same expenses for them.

Other requests and gifts:

$502  Georgia Power

Single mother struggling to raise four young children by herself without any support from their father.  She has been working two jobs, however the number of hours she’s being given to work have dwindled quite a bit.  When Anna received this request, the family had two days to pay the balance on their power bill, or their service would be disconnected.  Anna would not let that happen.

$289.57  Georgia Power

13 yr. old girl in treatment, has two siblings and divorced parents.  Her 3 yr. old brother is having surgery any day now (don’t know what his health issues are).  This family is from Africa and they receive no child support from their father.  They, too, were facing disconnection of their service, but Anna was able to step in and pay off their power bill.

$633.05  Banktrust

This little girl is fighting cancer and currently going through radiation.  Because her care is so demanding, her mother has been unable to work.  She is a single parent and, other than some support from a few family members, they have no income.  Their needs are tremendous and Anna was only able to make a dent in them.  She paid their mortgage, but just couldn’t afford to help with medication costs, power bill, or any of their other expenses.  We just pray that your help in keeping their home was enough.

Kate and Tracy

11 yr. old little boy with an inoperable diffuse intrinsic brain stem tumor.  The Make A Wish Foundation granted his wish, which was for a PlayStation2 and and XBox.  But soon after his wish was granted, someone broke into their home and stole his wish gifts.  This little boy’s social worker said his family is very poor and that he was devastated.  According to her, he has cried and cried, knowing that they will never be able to replace them.

But you could – and you did!  Anna was able to replace both, along with games for each.  Our angels rock.  Thank you so much for the joy you returned to the heart of this little boy!!!

This request came to us from a hospice care worker.  This family’s 5 yr. old daughter is terminal and is being cared for at home by her family and this hospice care worker.  Her father has not worked in 3 weeks and as a result, they are behind on their bills.  (How could you leave her and go to work when you know that soon she will be gone and your heart will be filled with such an indescribable pain?  I know I would never miss a moment.  Battling cancer with your child teaches you to treasure every moment in ways you never dreamed of.)

With your gifts to Anna’s Angel Fund, their gas and power bills were paid in full.  You gave them monetary gifts, but you also gave them the gift of being able to share the time their daughter has left without the stress of bill collectors constantly calling.

18 mo. old little boy, diagnosed with Choroid Plexus Carcinoma.  This is a two parent home, however mom hasn’t been able to work since their child’s diagnosis, due to his ongoing needs.  His father is employed full-time as a landscaper, but works on a contract basis.  Without this mother’s income and with the increased expenses associated with his care, they decided they could no longer afford the rent for their two bedroom apartment.  Their landlord would not let them move to a smaller apartment for a month and a half, and they were drowning in desperation and bills.

But our angels allowed Anna to lift them up and let them breathe.  They needed help with a huge, past due power bill and with car payments on two cars.  Their car payments were only $160 each, so were able to send two payments for each car, in addition to paying the balance on their power bill.

I can guarantee you that if these parents didn’t already believe in angels, they do now.

Ugh.  Another child.  6 yrs. old.  And his parents can’t afford to bury their precious little boy.  According to his social worker, “Mom is a nurse and works, but her life has been on hold since her little guy has been in the hospital and unable to be left alone.  She is single, strong and asking for help…which is so rare for her.”  This social worker asked if, along with donations from CURE Childhood Cancer and the Brain Tumor Fdn. for Children, Anna might be able to help with burial expenses for this child.  With a heavy heart, of course Anna said she wanted to help.

7 yr. old little girl, diagnosed with a malignant brain tumor (brain stem glioma) Labor Day weekend.  Her single mom lost her job because she had to take her child to radiation treatments daily.  Their car is being repossessed and they desperately need transportation.  Mom has found a dealer who is willing to give her a very large discount on a “greatly used” car, because of the family’s situation.  She paid for the tag, title and insurance and needed $1600 to buy the car.  Anna desperately wished she could have given this family the entire $1600, but chose to offer half of what was needed to be sure she could continue to help other families.

Pediatric cancer doesn’t “know” it’s the weekend.  It doesn’t acknowledge birthdays or holidays.  It’s relentless in its’ pursuit of so many little lives.  It doesn’t care if you have just lost a loved one, if you are a single parent, or if you were struggling to make ends meet even before your child was diagnosed with cancer.  It doesn’t make allowances if your employer terminates you because you choose to stay with your child during treatments, or worse, because your child will soon be heaven’s newest angel and you don’t want to miss a moment with them.  What a cruel disease.  And yet we have come out on the other side of cancer so blessed.  Anna still suffers greatly from the losses cancer has left her with.  But we have her life and we now have you in our army of angels, making life better – sometimes even joyful – for other pediatric cancer patients and their families.  Thanks so much to all our angels for your donations and support.