Emily’s Smiles through Difficult Trials

Emily’s Encouragers asks you to please pray for the family of 8 year old Jakob Hatton, from Wilmington, that lost his battle to Medulloblastoma around 7 a.m. today. Jakob & his mom were very kind to us and the first people to contact us when Emily began her cancer journey in 2006, as Jakob was a survivor at that time. Jakob came out to our Relay in May 2007 to meet Emily and visited our tent as our honored guest. We were all so in hopes that he would be the one to continue his remission and win the Medullo battle but God had other plans for him. He has now joined our Emily and countless other little ones in Heaven where they are no doubt running and playing without fear or pain.

This is another reminder for us all to do our part in supporting Relay for Life and helping to find a cure for this dreaded disease. I encourage you all to join Emily’s Encouragers in helping to raise these funds. Go to our relay website and place your donation today, no amount is too small! www.pendercountyrfl.com

KIDS GET CANCER TOO!
*Cancer is the number one killer of children by disease. It is the second leading cause of all childhood deaths exceeded only by accidents.
*One in 330 children will develop cancer before the age of 20.
*On average, 46 children are diagnosed with cancer every day in the United States.
*Each year, about 3,000 children die from cancer – more than from asthma, diabetes, cystic fibrosis, congenital anomalies, and pediatric AIDS combined
*The incidence of childhood cancer is increasing. The cause of this is unknown.
*Approximately 70% of children with cancer participate in research trials compared to only 3% of adult cancer patients. As a result, many of the advances in adult cancer treatments are due to breakthroughs in childhood cancer research

Cancer in children is more common that most people realize. Childhood cancers behave very differently than adult cancers and the survival statistics are not as promising. Furthermore, the incidence of childhood cancer seems to be increasing. Please join us in increasing awareness of childhood cancer facts and statistics…..BECAUSE KIDS CAN’T FIGHT CANCER ALONE!!!

(Cancer Facts from Candlelighters Foundation)

Wanted to send everyone a little update. HOPE EVERYONE HAD A WONDERFUL EASTER!!! Sunday’s service and message, went straight to my heart. It gives me peace in knowing that I will get to hold Emily again. Trey told me a month ago, he was ready to go to heaven and live so he could see Emily. I told him that was all good, and talked about heaven and Jesus, but I would like for him to stay with me a while longer, but only God is in control of that. He is happy to know, that when he gets to see her, she will not be sick anymore!

The web site is looking great, I love Emily’s song on the site. Jamie is doing a great job incorporating new ideas, thanks so much Jamie! I want to send you some new pictures as well.

The 18th is almost here. I think about her all day long on most days. There is always reminders everywhere I go. I smile more about those reminders now than I used too. She still is always with me. Wanted to share couple of things during the past few months. In February we took Trey skiing for the first time for his 10th Birthday. Crystal, Todd, and Shelby, went on the trip with us to Sugar Mt. We had a great time and Trey learned to Snowboard the first day, and raced everyone down the mountain. Shelby made skiing look easy. Eddie and I had not been on skis in 13 years. A little more cautious this time around. Our first morning out, We, the adults, were taking pictures and watching Trey and Shelby skiing and this couple were playing with their 3 year old. They were taking pictures too. I asked them if they wanted me to take a picture of the family together. The parents were holding the little girl and I tried over and over to get the little girls attention, but she just stared up into the bright blue sky. Her parents could not even get her attention. I turned to look up at what she was staring at and said there must be something up there. Her father replied “she’s looking at an Angel”. I don’t know if it put me in a short moment of shock when he said that, because I didn’t recall that was what he said until Crystal and Eddie started talking about that moment again. They were stunned for a moment too. Now I remember that exact moment and what the father said. I just would have liked to tell him all about Emily, and his little girl was looking up at Angels. I guess I was so stunned, I couldn’t say anything. Anyway, Emily was probably watching and laughing at us all weekend.

The 18th is going to be hard, but on a brighter side, there will be an Emily’s Encouragers Memorial Dinner for the Relay for Life on that day, and a butterfly release afterwards on the church grounds in the butterfly garden, that was just completed. I love being out in this area of the church grounds. It is so beautiful, I could look over at Emily’s grave, as we were working on the Garden. I need to tell you, Mom and I were there today and finished a few things in the garden, and here comes a butterfly, fluttering all around us. The first one I have seen this year, and I thought, It might be a little early to see one, This had to be Emily. I guess she was letting us know how happy she was, and how much she loves the memorial garden . She always picked me flowers, to take home. Especially all of Uncle David’s flowers!

Trey has awards day tomorrow and he made the A/B honor roll!!! Yeah!!! Last report card he almost made the A honor roll, he had one B. We are so proud of him!!! Trey has become quite the Hunter this past hunting season too. I will try to get a couple of his pics on the site. He enjoys stirring up a little mud too, which keeps his mom on edge….

Alot of fun things planned for the Relay for Life, May 1 & 2. Kids walk on Saturday, May 2 beginning at 9 a.m. The Kids Walk t-shirts will again feature one of Emily’s drawings. We are looking forward to helping with the activities again this year and invite everyone to come out and join us!

Love, Dawn

Please join us for the Emily’s Encouragers Memorial Dinner & Live Butterfly Release and Butterfly Garden Dedication. The dinner will be on Saturday, April 18th, 2009, at 5:00 p.m. in the Barlow-Vista Baptist Church Annex Building, Hwy. 17 North, Hampstead. Tickets for the dinner are $8 each and include a sit down ham dinner with 2 sides, dessert & tea. Butterflies can be purchased for an additional $5 each. All proceeds benefit the Pender County Relay for Life, Emily’s Encouragers team, in memory of Emily. Seating is limited so purchase your tickets in advance! For more info or to purchase tickets, please contact: Stephanie Ottaway 470-3603, Stephanie Hollis 470-5506, Pam Padgett 620-5664, Cheryl Hollis 270-9852, Linda Hollis 270-3182, Cindy Justice 270-4337 or any member of Emily’s Encouragers.