Why this title? I don't know. We think we're hilarious.

Jumping from Childhood Cancer Awareness Month and into our next mini series, which is a very different vibe, we just felt we needed something in the middle to break it up.

In todays episode, we talk a little bit about our up-coming mini series with Aly, with a rollercoaster of ups and downs, you HAVE to make it to the end of this mini-series to see just how resilient this woman is. As this next mini-series was recorded 1 year ago, it is audio only.

And then, in true banter fashion... Sammi just gets up on a soapbox about todays random topic -- screens in schools.

With Love,

Melissa & Sammi

Join us as we get a little fired up while we wrap up, Childhood Cancer Awareness Month.

There is SOO Much we learned during this month, listening to these stories, hearing these parents who are not only fighting so dang hard to help their kids thrive, and honour their lost children but are ALSO choosing to go even deeper, to fight even harder, to advocate for and make an impact for not just their own kids but for children to come. Children, who unfortunately will be impacted by Pediatric Cancer in the years to come. These incredible humans are do SO much to try to change the game for cancer treatments in the future.

These are the people you want on your side.

These are the people you want to rally behind.

These are stories you need to go back and listen to if you haven't done so.

To the families that shared with us.

Thank you.

To the families fighting for your kids.

You are heroes.

To the families making an impact for future children.

Your heart is indescribable.

To the kids enduring their treatments.

We are here for you and cheering you on.

To the kids that have laid to rest.

We honour you and think of you with every sunflower, fox, and bubblegum sky.

With Love,

Melissa & Sammi

A re-release episode from Feb 15 2024.

While her 6 year old daughter Sloane was in the hospital, undergoing high dose chemo treatments, Claire Masikewich chatted back and forth with us, via whatsapp voice messages to help us raise awareness about this incredible cause that deserves more funding and research.

Claire graciously gave us her time and knowledge to help us put together this episode. Full of honest stories about what her daughters symptoms were, to how her and her family responded and a few of the mental battles that they go through and still work to overcome. We know there is so much more to this story than we were able to cover. However, the information provided here... from statistics about childhood cancer, to intense moments of anxiety as a parent, this episode is a must listen.

In our episode today, we asked Season what was on her heart to share about. The topic of choice? How a healthy relationship with your spouse can drastically impact your childs mental health and overall ability to thrive through cancer. 

A beautiful episode that we know will add value to not just families going through cancer treatment, but anyone, with any family dynamic and health journey can benefit from the incredible advice that Season gives us today.

Igniting hope for pediatric cancer families by empowering them with the knowledge of complementary therapies and nutrition to help their child thrive throughout and beyond conventional treatment.

Find Season:

https://www.yourthriveformula.com/ 

www.seasonjohnson.com

https://www.seasonjohnson.com/thrive-through-cancer-podcast/

https://www.instagram.com/seasonjohnson?utm_source=ig_web_button_share_sheet&igsh=ZDNlZDc0MzIxNw==

Melissa & Sammi

All the way from Australia, Ashton's Mother, Dominique shares with us how, life with a child diagnosed with Cancer, is very similar to life here in Canada.

With the treatments for children being incredibly harsh, and seeing her son struggle so much, Dominique has become determined to raise funds and awareness around Childhood Cancer, not just in Australia, but globally.

Dominique shares an incredibly important lesson for all of us to remember... that, as much as we want to protect our children from our own emotional worries, letting our kids see us work through these feelings, is vitally important for our kids. If we hide them, then our kids learn to hide their own. Allowing our kids to see us worry and work through our tears, gives our kids permission to do the same.

When a your child is diagnosed with Cancer, your whole world becomes enveloped in life with Cancer and how to beat it. But, as Dominique shares with us, the rest of the world goes on and trying to remember that can be incredibly hard.

Tune in for more insights and impactful moments with Dominique.

Find Dominique at:

https://www.instagram.com/ashtons_leukaemia_journey?utm_source=ig_web_button_share_sheet&igsh=ZDNlZDc0MzIxNw==

Donate:

https://www.ccia.org.au/

With Love,

Melissa and Sammi

Helping Families Handle Cancer pretty much sums up this episode in entirety.

Carie's heart is HUGE. After being a childhood cancer survivor herself and listening to her Mother speak about how hard it was to be a single mom, caring for a 1 year old with cancer and a new baby, Carie had a massive desire to remove some of the burden from future families.

Carie was diagnosed at 13 months old with Rhabdomyosarcoma and given a 10% chance of survival. Being under the care, watch and undergoing treatments until she was 7 years old, Carie is fully well aware of the intense burden going through pediatric cancer can have on a family. Using this knowledge and experience, at 24 years old. Carie started her own Charity, Helping Families Handle Cancer. And that is EXACTLY what they do. 

With a brief overview of some health complications that she lives with due to going through cancer treatments at such a young age, we then deep dive with Carie about just how far her Charity will go to make a financial difference for families. The list is unreal and you wont believe it unless you hear it.

So, press play and listen in!

Find Carie at:

https://www.instagram.com/helping_families?utm_source=ig_web_button_share_sheet&igsh=ZDNlZDc0MzIxNw==

or

 https://helpingfamilies.ca/

With Love,

Melissa & Sammi

If you're local to Calgary, then you have probably heard of Penn the Brave, bubble gum skies and Made By Marcus.

https://www.instagram.com/pennthebraveyyc?utm_source=ig_web_button_share_sheet&igsh=ZDNlZDc0MzIxNw==

or

https://pennthebrave.org/

Sign the petition here to make it easier for FDA Approved Brain Cancer treatments to be available to Canadians:

https://www.ourcommons.ca/petitions/en/Petition/Details?Petition=e-5118&fbclid=PAZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAAaZ3HV3qJEv2yGLvnJksn0wMG-YJb8oUsnQX5vx4iDM4MVqYn9r4qg3b4nY_aem_IM1e4gXKPSckflFidJFD9g

With Love,

Melissa and Sammi

Hold on tight for part 2 of Heather's story. This is going to knock you over with how much heart, passion and drive this amazing woman has.

She is a true example of turning pain and loss into purpose and triumph. As she watched and listened to her daughter going through cancer treatments, Heather has taken those experiences, and is working hard to make major changes and shifts for how other kids will experience these treatments in the future. By helping to get Radflix into hospitals throughout Canada and the US, she is reducing stress, anxiety, loneliness, wait times, and the amount of time spent under anesthesia for kids. Its UNREAL the difference this amazing resource is making.

Not only is she making an impact for kids, but their families too. Helping to relieve the financial burdens through a parking pass fundraiser, and working with the incredible charity, Helping Families Handle Cancer, which, you will hear more about in an upcoming episode.

Tune in to hear more about the incredible heart and work Heather is putting out into the world.

Find More Info at:

https://www.instagram.com/radflix.foundation?utm_source=ig_web_button_share_sheet&igsh=ZDNlZDc0MzIxNw==

https://radflix.org/

Or:

https://www.instagram.com/happilyheath?utm_source=ig_web_button_share_sheet&igsh=ZDNlZDc0MzIxNw==

With love,

Sammi & Melissa

https://www.instagram.com/happilyheath?utm_source=ig_web_button_share_sheet&igsh=ZDNlZDc0MzIxNw==