Our Foundation jumped into spot #41 this morning – Top 50! Currently, we have 2,870 votes, and would love a big push from now until Wednesday. Any money we might win will go to our dream of a world-class cancer center for KIDS. Keep voting & sharing! It only takes a couple of seconds!
you are such a multi tasker! I couldn’t figure out how to vote on my iphone, will try from my laptop and SOON as I get home today. Much love to you – and the worst part of pregnancy is almost done…little energy vampire! That part will pass and get better soon.
I voted!!
I voted and pasted the page on my Facebook page. I also ordered a couple of t-shirts. Thank you for your undying love and dedication. You are the type of mother all of us dream of being.
Maya-haven’t stopped thinking about you, Ronan and your family since I learned of Ronan while listening to Taylor Swift’s song-watching stand up to cancer. I have voted and I am spreading the word to any one who will listen about childhood cancer and your precious boy here in Michigan. Your story has deeply touched me….be well…I know you’re in the “throws” of your pregnancy and this too will pass. Be kind to yourself Maya, feel whatever you like…no one can take that away from you. Will continue to shed light on this horrific childhood cancer and all cancers!!
I voted for the foundation and just registered to be a bone marrow donor. In memory of Ronan.
I voted and hope I can vote more than once.
I ordered my tees. Can’t wait to get them.
Always RoLove!!!
XO
I was barfing and voting! Being pregnant is sooo much fun! (Insert sarcasm) Hope it helps! Love, love, love
Maya–I discovered your blog a few days ago and have been reading it every chance I get, from the beginning. You and your beautiful Ronan have touched me so deeply…I cannot stop thinking about Ronan and his piercing blue eyes and his magnificent face. I’ve played Taylor’s song over and over since she premiered it on the SU2C event. I’ve donated to neuroblastoma research. And I’ve shared your wonderful idea for a Neuroblastoma Research and Care Center with others who have endured the same misery as you’ve had to endure.
My high school friend’s daughter (Isabella Santos) died on June 28 after a five-year battle with neuroblastoma. Like Ronan, Isabella “fought like an army guy.” She endured treatments so awful and so painful that I can’t even begin to imagine how she did so. I’ve been following her mom, Erin’s, Caring Bridge page for years. Like you, Erin has the gift of being able to communicate the heartache of losing a child to this horrible disease. Like you, she describes watching her child die before her eyes. As I read your words, and feel the gut-wrenching emotions they contain, and recall her similar words of pain and anguish, I get so fucking angry that I could scream. How can we live in a world that allows children to suffer the way Ronan and Isabella and thousands of other children with neuroblastoma have suffered? How can people like you and Erin spill your heartache for the world to see and still, there’s no cure for this fucking disease?
You get so many messages from so many people, so I know you’ve heard this before. But I hope you will hear it again, from me:
You are changing the world, Maya. You and Ronan.
Because of you, I hug my kids a little tighter at night and I find myself so grateful for the little “problems” that I know you would kill to have…marker on the walls, paint on the floor, food all over the house. Because of you, I can say, “Who the fuck cares about that crap? It means nothing!” Whenever I find myself stressing about stupid stuff, all it takes is one thought of you or Erin and I’m immediately thankful that whiny girls and a dirty house are the worst of my fucking problems. And I channel that energy into making sure I do my part to spread the word about neuroblastoma. I bought the Rockstar bracelets today. Not the FU ones, because they’re out of stock. But I will get them whenever they’re available and wear them proudly. I posted your link to my Facebook and Twitter pages because #41 is great, but it’s not good enough! I donated to neuroblastoma research. Because of you and your beautiful, gorgeous boy.
You’re an amazing, strong woman, Maya, and inspiration to so many people. So is Erin Santos, whose beautiful daughter Isabella dreamed of a world with “no more cancer.” If anyone can make a world-class Neuroblastoma Care and Research Center a reality, it’s the two of you. Two wonderful, proactive, heartbroken moms who lost your beautiful children to this horrible, fucking disease. Individually, you’re amazing. Together, you can take on the world and beat this awful bastard once and for all.
Because FUCK YOU, CANCER!
I voted!!!!!!!!!!
Glenda – you get 1 vote from Facebook, an extra vote on FB if you share the Ronan link and someone goes to that link and votes and Chase customers get and additional vote by going to chasegiving.com! You only have to have a Chase account to vote from the chasegiving.com site, you do not have to have a FB account. So you can even have your “non-social media” friends vote!
~ Sarah (not one that has ever posted or been mentioned here before) 🙂
One day I will write to you ,but it’s not today. Today I send a kiss to heaven for your lil boy and a hug to you!
I sort of know all of this too well.
3661 as of 6:49 PM EST tonight. Keep moving up the charts! Up to number 34 on the leaderboard. Top 11 would mean $100K towards the dream, but currently people have pushed the vote up to $50K. Every vote counts, so please post on facebook, share with family and friends and let’s try to get this moved up to the top 11 (top spot gets $250K, the next ten, or # 2 through # 11, get the $100K).
Whomever nominated The Ronan Foundation, what a stroke of genius and a good way for people to raise funding creatively! For those of us that have been touched by this little angel and his family, but aren’t in a position to help out much financially, what a great way to use the generous contributions that are available from the corporate world to make a difference in this fight against childhood cancer. We need to keep looking for all of these opportunities and get as much money flowing to The Ronan Foundation to turn this dream into a reality!
Maya, you are an inspiration and the love that you and your family/friends have in your hearts for your Ro shines brightly through in every blog that you post. For those of us that have family or friends that have battled this beast of a disease, Ronan has become a rallying point that can inspire those that never had the opportunity to know him to accomplish great things. It is every parents’ nightmare to battle so hard for so long and still lose their child to this senseless murderer.
On a personal note, I am sure that there are countless others out there that have been touched by your story and are committed to helping in any small way that they can. I know that I have had more than a few co-workers asking why I am sniffling and my eyes have been red for the past week at work. I use it as an opportunity to tell them of this courageous young boy that was loved so much that he is going to help change the world and save other children.
Nothing that anyone can do will every bring your Ro back to you, but the message is getting out and he is touching people in ways that you may never be aware. Every parent that reads this blog and sees the love and pain that you carry with you will hug their kids a little more, cherish their time together and not get caught up in the thousands of insignificant “issues” that in the end are just noise.
It is going to be raining in Michigan tonight as I go to bed, so I will watch, smile, and think of your “little man”.
3661 as of 6:49 PM EST tonight. Keep moving up the charts! Up to number 34 on the leaderboard. Top 11 would mean $100K towards the dream, but currently people have pushed the vote up to $50K. Every vote counts, so please post on facebook, share with family and friends and let’s try to get this moved up to the top 11 (top spot gets $250K, the next ten, or # 2 through # 11, get the $100K).
Whomever nominated The Ronan Foundation, what a stroke of genius and a good way for people to raise funding creatively! For those of us that have been touched by this little angel and his family, but aren’t in a position to help out much financially, what a great way to use the generous contributions that are available from the corporate world to make a difference in this fight against childhood cancer. We need to keep looking for all of these opportunities and get as much money flowing to The Ronan Foundation to turn this dream into a reality!
Maya, you are an inspiration and the love that you and your family/friends have in your hearts for your Ro shines brightly through in every blog that you post. For those of us that have family or friends that have battled this beast of a disease, Ronan has become a rallying point that can inspire those that never had the opportunity to know him to accomplish great things. It is every parents’ nightmare to battle so hard for so long and still lose their child to this senseless murderer.
On a personal note, I am sure that there are countless others out there that have been touched by your story and are committed to helping in any small way that they can. I know that I have had more than a few co-workers asking why I am sniffling and my eyes have been red for the past week at work. I use it as an opportunity to tell them of this courageous young boy that was loved so much that he is going to help change the world and save other children.
Nothing that anyone can do will every bring your Ro back to you, but the message is getting out and he is touching people in ways that you may never be aware. Every parent that reads this blog and sees the love and pain that you carry with you will hug their kids a little more, cherish their time together and not get caught up in the thousands of insignificant “issues” that in the end are just noise.
It is going to be raining in Michigan tonight as I go to bed, so I will watch, smile, and think of your “little man”.
Maya –
You are profound. Profound for sharing Ronan’s story and your amazing love. Profound for cutting through the bullshit and putting it all out there. Thank you for not candy-coating what happened to your beautiful boy and to your family. Thank you for making me (and so many others) realize that the everyday headaches are mundane and really quite ridiculous. Because of Ronan, I now take time to appreciate the beauty in my children’s arguments, messes and uneaten meals. I spent the extra 10 minutes to sing “You Are My Sunshine” a second time to my toddler and to read my older son another story. I try to wake up thankful and to remember that it can all change in a second. Thank you for making me stop blindly moving forward and to look around and breathe.
My children are 7 and 2 1/2. My baby boy looks much like Ronan at that age. His favorite song is “Twinkle, Twinkle (Crinkle, Crinkle) Little Star” or it was until he heard me listening to “Ronan.” He saw Ronan’s picture and said “pretty baby” and then started to cry. Me, too. My heart aches for you and Ronan. I hold my baby just a little tighter now knowing that none of us knows what might be next.
Many years ago, I worked for the National Bone Marrow Registry. I heard the stories and I have been in the registry since 1995. I only wish I was called to help. I donate. I know the statistics. It is fucking scary and it is un-fucking-forgiveable that not everyone is fighting this with you. Know that you’ve got another family in mine who will do whatever we can to help you get where you are trying to go. For Ronan and for you.
I wish I could give you a hug and tell you that you are amazing. I voted. I shared the link and I continue to share your story, Ronan’s story. Keep fighting for your baby.
Much love.
ROCKSTAR RONAN 
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