Prayers From Maria Foundation

I wanted to share with you a video that was recently brought to my attention.



It was put together by the Prayers From Maria Foundation, I have asked and received permission from Maria's dad Ed to share this video with the DIPG community. I ask you to please take a few minutes and watch the video and see exactly what diffuse intrinsic pontine glioma (DIPG) does to these children and their families. It is hard for me because one of the doctors in the video, Dr. Mark Kieran of Dana-Farber was my son Matthew's doctor. I don't have to imagine how these parents are feeling, I know how they are feeling, everything they say, we experienced.

Prayers From Maria is named after Maria McNamara...from the PFM site...

"On April 1, 2006 life ceased to exist the way my family knew it. My oldest child and only daughter, Maria, was diagnosed with a diffuse intrinsic pontine glioma (DIPG). DIPG is an inoperable incurable brain tumor that strikes children usually between the ages of 5 and 11. A child with this diagnosis is given a 10 to 12 month life expectancy.

With the devastating diagnosis of our Maria came a great deal of sorrow and pain as well as desperation. My husband, Ed, and I frantically searched medical journals, books, articles and the Internet for anything—any sign of hope that we could cling to that might possibly save our daughter’s life. Instead, we were surprised to find very little research and few experimental trials. That which we did find was difficult to decipher from a layman’s perspective and, of course, each case study ended in the death of a child."


Prayers from Maria is a truly wonderful foundation, Ed told me that a new web site will be out in the next few days. Prayers From Maria is listed in the Foundation section, I will update with the new site once it is available.

Thank you Ed & Megan, from the bottom of my heart for all you do to help raise awareness and fund research for DIPG, please know I appreciate all you do for the DIPG (all childhood cancer) community. I will never forget Maria and her journey. May God comfort you each day.

God Bless.

Rich ~Angel Matthew's Dad~
DIPG Parent

Calling All Hogs

I know I know, the title of today's post seems very strange, but please keep reading, trust me it's for a great child and a wonderful cause.

From Hogs for the Cause website...


Hogs for the Cause is an opportunity for friends and foes alike to come together under the banner of the pig to support a worthy cause.

This year the proceeds will go to Ben Sarrat, Jr. Little Ben is an amazing 5 year old boy from New Orleans who was diagnosed with a Diffuse Pontine Glioma (a rare inoperable brain tumor) in Nov 2008.

Come join us while we roast pigs on a spit as well as smoke pigs, oysters, and chickens. Plenty of drinks intended for adults and other food as well.

What we mostly ask from you, is to participate. You can do this in a myriad of ways: buy a t-shirt, help out at the event, donate money and lots of it, donate items, spread the word, or just come and have a good time.


I invite you to check out the following sites, it links you to Ben's blog as well as Hogs For The Cause's FB event page. Please check out Ben's site and read his story and check out how Ben is doing right now. Please join me in praying for Ben and his family.

Ben's Blog

Hogs For The Cause FB event page

Hogs For The Cause webpage

For those who may not be familiar with Ben, he is a 5 year old boy from New Orleans. I have come to know Pirate Ben's mother, Erin, via a new DIPG Google group. It is a newly created DIPG support group for parents, family, friends and all supporters of DIPG and other childhood cancers. I invite all of you to visit the Google DIPG group and please consider joining and inviting other to join as well. I know that the Google group can be another wonderful resource for the DIPG community. I strongly encourage everyone to utilize as many DIPG resources as possible, leave no stone unturned in this battle for cure.

Let's all help make this event a huge success.

God Bless.

Rich ~Angel Matthew's Dad~
DIPG Parent