Isn't this just the most beautiful photo ever? I adore how it shows how a father's love can make children so happy. I can't take credit for this photo, though--it was taken by a post-college roommate of mine, Molly Mattocks. Pictured here are her husband, Kendrick, and daughter, Izzy. You may have heard of Izzy recently, especially if you're a Lantern Tree Photography facebook fan, or someone lucky enough to know the Mattocks family. If you need caught up, Izzy is a 4 year-old, beautiful, princess-loving little girl, and little sister to Carter. She's also a cancer survivor. Diagnosed with a neuroblastoma just days before Christmas last year, Izzy quickly underwent surgery to remove the large cancerous mass. The doctors removed it all, and one month later, her scans were still clear. Two months after that, clear again! Things were looking good. Until three months later, just six months after the neuroblastoma was removed, Molly and Kendrick were horrified to hear that the neuroblastoma had returned--this time, surrounding her kidney, doubling her kidney in size, and even more alarmingly, had spread to her bone. It's back, and this time, it is Stage 4.
Molly and Kendrick have pursued treatment for Izzy at Cincinnati Children's Hospital, which is approximately 2 hours from their home in the Indy area. Izzy's 15-month treatment plan is about as horrifying as the diagnosis itself. Six rounds of 5-day doses of chemo, with 2-3 weeks in between. Next is a stem cell harvest, tumor removal, then two more rounds of chemo. Then more chemo, this time with radiation. A stem cell transplant. More radiation, and finally Immunotherapy chemo. I am told by Molly that the survival rate, even after all of this painful, extensive treatment is 60 percent. Izzy's first round of chemo starts tomorrow.
Needless to say, Izzy and her family are spinning. They're hurting. They are certainly not looking forward to tomorrow, or the 15 months ahead of them. I am sure they feel like they're holding on by a thread, and want nothing more than to wrap their arms around Izzy and make everything right again. But instead, they are forced to fight. They will fight for Izzy's life through the dark, painful times ahead. And this is a battle they can't fight alone.
If you're anything like me, you're feeling pretty helpless right now! I want to swoop in and rescue them from all this pain, slay the cancer, dry Molly's tears, and help them get back to the life they knew a few weeks ago. But I can't, and neither can you. So instead, we can fight with them. Give them whatever they need to make it through this, help take care of all of the other seemingly meaningless details of life, so they can focus on Izzy. We can be shoulders to cry on, ears to listen, warriors to pray. We can unite to Fight for Izzy.
In a few days, while Izzy is undergoing her first round of chemo, I will launch a facebook site that will serve as our way to unite us all. It is OUR page, an open forum where we can announce how we are fighting, where we can call others to action to help the Mattocks family. If you know a need, ask someone to fill it. If you've created a resource for them and need to recruit help, tell us. If you're raising financial support for the family, announce it. Spread the word. We can all help! Even if it's just sharing the page with friends and family who may want to help--you are needed. I believe that we are all united already--united with the desire to help. Let's surround Izzy, Molly, Kendrick, and Carter with our love and support, so much that they will feel wrapped in their Father's arms, and can feel the joy that only He can bring in the darkness ahead.
(picture courtesy of Molly's facebook page)
To start us off, Lantern Tree Photography will be donating ALL session fees from the month of August to the Mattocks family. My goal is to raise $1000, but I know we can blow right past this amount! Sign up for a photo session, and I'll tell you how to reserve your spot by paying the session fee DIRECTLY to Molly and Kendrick's account. Details on available session dates and times will be announced shortly. Thank you for joining me in this fight with the Mattocks family. If you haven't already, please begin thinking of ways you can fill a need, raise money, or create a resource! Use the upcoming facebook page to announce what you're doing. Share this blog post, get the army together. We're all united to be the Lord's hands and feet throughout these next 15 months, so let's get started!
-Shannon Beaver
Lantern Tree Photography
317.752.9671
www.facebook.com/lanterntree
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