As the mom of a son fighting cancer, I have learned a lot. I learned that my little boy was stronger than most adults. I learned that his zest for life could not be taken by the cancer, and I learned that his Never Give Up attitude was going to carry me through his 15 month battle.

But I was also shocked to learn was how little funding is allocated to Pediatric Cancer Research.

We asked Griffin to fight the biggest battle of his life, knowing in the back of our mind there were not a lot of options when his GBM returned. We, as parents, were left with no other options to save our son. Parents need options, families need options -- our children need options! That will never happen without more research. Someone said to me, "GBM in children isn't rare anymore, it's just under-researched!" This is our chance to change that.

These children are OUR FUTURE! Not just the future of our local community, but for our nation as a whole. I believe as a nation, we have let these children down. Is it uncomfortable to talk about children getting cancer, yes, but how much more uncomfortable is it talking about children dying from cancer? We need to bring change for these children and their families. Be that change! We can do it through this organization. If we take our cues for courage and determination from Griffin and the other brave little heroes battling cancer, there is no way we won’t make a difference.

I believe through Griffin's Guardians we will make a difference. As mothers, fathers, grandparents, and friends, we ask that you stand up for the children. Stand up for their right to live long healthy lives. And when something interferes with that, we as a community -- we as a nation -- stand by these children with confidence that we have provided them with every possibility to beat their cancer.

XOXO
Erin