That 1 Family Shines News and 2 Scholarship Cancer Warrior Breakfast Recap
5k and Save the 3 SUPERHERO Date for 2017 Harvest of Hope Sponsor and 4 Candlelighters Partner Spotlights
Volunteer 5 Candlelighters and DIY Spotlights 6 Candlelighters Chapter News
For A Child 7 Ride and Slime Fundraising Life Brighter 8 Make For a Child with Cancer
CandlelightersConnections SUMMER 2017
Family That Shines: Burgess Family
E
mily Burgess is an 18-year-old who has plenty to be proud of. She has traveled to Chile, volunteered and given back to causes close to her heart, won scholarships, and beat cancer since her fight started at 22 months old. But she’s not stopping there. Looking towards the future, Emily is an aspiring counselor and fashion designer. She wants to work with kids who have been diagnosed with cancer; a career influenced by her own journey. She has mom and dad, Louis and David, Sister Zoey and Penny the pup in her corner. They have been through their share of struggles and hard times throughout their journey, but have remained an incredible family unit that is strong and thriving. It has been a long
Emily enjoying a day at the beach.
journey: Emily was diagnosed at 22 months with Pilocytic Astrocytoma in the 3rd ventricle of the brain. Mom writes of Emily’s diagnosis: “We didn’t have much time to react or even think when Emily was first diagnosed. We went to Emanuel Hospital to meet yet another doctor in my search to find out why Emily couldn’t walk without falling and why she kept throwing up every Tuesday or Wednesday. We didn’t leave the hospital until very late and were told we had one hour to gather our things for our hospital stay. If we didn’t return, someone would be sent to bring us back. Emily had her first surgery the next morning at 7 a.m.” Fourteen years later Emily got the news that she was in remission and at 16 years post-diagnosis, the Burgess Family received word that Emily’s tumor had shrunk for the first time ever. Emily is able to live the life she dreamed of and can take a deep breath knowing she beat cancer! Louise was able to offer some incredibly heartfelt words of advice for what their family wished others knew about their journey and involvement with Candlelighters:
Candlelighters For Children With Cancer publishes CandlelightersConnections four times a year to provide news and other information to our childhood cancer community in Oregon and SW Washington.
The Burgess Family: David, Emily, Zoey, and Louise.
“I wish there was a way to help educate those outside of cancer to please take a moment to think about some of the things they say. I can’t even count how many times Emily is asked ‘why are you so short’. Who wants to go into a long explanation of how she stopped growing after her second brain surgery? Another message would be to always hold on to hope. We raised Emily for a world beyond cancer. It wasn’t about being in denial of our situation as some may have seen it, but more about living as best as possible for whatever our future may be. It hasn’t been easy but I think it’s what helped all of us.
Candlelighters has more resources than most know. If you have a child with cancer please get to know them. Your child will be around people who understand and don’t judge and that is worth so much when you are helping them to just feel normal.” Today the Burgess Family is involved with Candlelighters for a different reason. Emily was a recipient of one of the Continuing Education Scholarships, and as part of her commitment to Candlelighters she will volunteer with us in the upcoming year. We are so thrilled to have Emily and her family be a part of Candlelighters in this whole new way!
Our Mission:
To provide a community of healing, hope, and light throughout the life-long journey of childhood cancer. We advocate, we educate, we build partnerships, and we foster solidarity for all families experiencing cancer.