Make-A-Wish Mentor

August 25, 2010

As the summer comes to an end and we look forward to the start of back-to-school and the Fall season, I received such a thoughtful surprise by my friends at the Make-A-Wish Foundation of NJ.  They rely on Mentors to teach and train new volunteers to become Wish Granters and have asked me to become a member of the select few with such a title.  It is with absolute honor that I accept and take on this great privledge.  I'll never forget my Mentor, Joe, who helped me to become the Wish Granter I am today.  I can only hope that I can be half the Mentor that Joe was.

Wish Granters work directly with the children and their families to determine the child’s one true wish and then play an instrumental role in helping to plan, create, and fulfill the child’s wish.  These specifically trained volunteers make the wish an unforgettable experience through their attention to detail and imagination. Wish Granters volunteer their time around their own schedule and must be at least 21 years old.

As I take on this wonderful responsibility as a Wish Granter Mentor I will never forget that the sole purpose of the Foundation is to grant wishes to children with life-threatening medical conditions.  With hope, strength and joy I will do it with a HUGE smile on my face!

Lupus

August 19, 2010

For those who know me know that I don't talk very much about this, but the fact of the matter is.....I have lupus.  I don't like to talk about it much.  I'm not in denial.  No, that's hardly the case.  I would simply just rather focus my thoughts on other things rather than allowing this disease to take hold of me.  I faced it head on when I was diagnosed many years ago, and since then I have supported, rallied, and donated my time and efforts to try to make a difference for others with this disease.  I haven't been as active with it the last two years, as I felt as though my efforts weren't getting anywhere.  Well over a million Americans have lupus, however in all these years there has yet to be a drug that could battle it.  Sure, we have drugs that help to relieve our symptoms.  But nothing that battled it head on.  Until now!

Finally, Human Genome Sciences, Inc. and GlaxoSmithKline today announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has granted a priority review designation to BENLYSTA as a potential treatment for systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE).  A priority review designation is granted to drugs that, if approved, offer major advances in treatment or provide a treatment where no adequate therapy exists. The FDA has assigned Benlysta a Prescription Drug User Fee Act date of December 9, 2010.

This is terrific news!  Until now the very best drug we had (for the most part) was Prednisone, which is a powerful steroid when taken for a long peroid of time.  Which, for anyone that's familiar with Prednisone......well, let's just say it isn't pretty.

I pray and hope that Benlysta can be the living saving therapy device that can help my fellow lupus survivors, including myself.  In the meantime, I will continue to stay out of the sun, watch my stress level, eat right, exercise and do everything else I do to stay healthy.  Let's hope that after ALL these years we finally have something to target this dreadful disease.

With Love,

Eat, Pray, Love

How true is this quote from the book version of Eat, Pray, Love???

"God never slams a door in your face without opening a box of Girl Scout cookies..."

The 2010 Mrs. International Pageant

July 21, 2010

I have just returned from one of the most exciting and thrilling weeks of my life.  I represented my hometown state, New Jersey, in the 2010 Mrs. International Pageant.  I was one of 52 amazing women who came together to promote our community service leadership, our love of pageantry and our support of the International Pageant System.  The director of the International Pageant System, Mary Richardson, is a vivacious and beautiful women who treated us with dignity and respect the entire week.  There was no stone left unturned and I am honored to have respected the Garden State at this prestigious venue.

Although I did not win or place, the women who did were beyond extraordinary. Shannon Devine, Mrs. Southeast International, became our new Mrs. International 2010!  She is a beautiful, motivated and encouraging advocate for adoption.  Please visit her websites at "Shannon Devine" and "Little Miss Magic".

Thank you to EVERYONE who helped me to achieve my personal goals at Mrs. International.  I could not have made this journey without you and I am SO SO honored, grateful and blessed for all your support, guidance and love.  It was a week I will never ever forget, as I came away with a greater understanding of myself along with new friendships from incredible women. 

God Bless,

GO DANIEL!

July 7, 2010

GRANTING WISHES ONE CHILD AT A TIME ~~~ One of my little Make-A-Wish children, Daniel, has embarked on his magical wish to a popular amusement park in Pennsylvania for the week. He is joined by his parents and 5 siblings, and I just know that at least for this week they will have left behind all evidence of hospital rooms, doctors and IV bags. There will be NO thought of his leukemia.  Only exciting, incredibly fun memories will be made.  GO DANIEL!!  And THANK YOU Make-A-Wish!!

Granting Wishes One Child at a Time!

June 29, 2010

This week is a super special week for me.  I'm SO SO excited!  I get to deliver not one, but TWO travel packages to two of my wish kids for their upcoming wishes that are being fulfilled next week.  One of them is spending a week out in the wildnerness camping with his family.  The other one is jet setting across the ocean to spend a week in Italy with his family.  Both these precious boys have been sick for quite some time and for them to have this INCREDIBLE opportunity to experience joy and to forget about their doctors and hospitals for a bit .... well it doesn't get much better than that!  But not only will these boys have the time of their lives, but their families will too.  Parents and siblings are just as overwhelmed and thrilled as the wish kids.  It's SUCH a joyous occassion for everyone!!  (including me!!)

God bless the Make-A-Wish Foundation!

20 YEARS ~ 20 WISHES with E!

June 26, 2010

Do you ever watch the "E!" channel?  It's a fun channel with lots of celebrity scoop, right?  Well, in celebration of E!'s 20th birthday the network is helping the Make-A-Wish Foundation grant 20 wishes to children with life-threatening medical conditions. Please click here to make a donation now to help them reach our goal of granting 20 wishes in 2010.

FIVE DOLLAR FRIDAY for Make-A-Wish

June 25, 2010

My Friends,

Virtually all of us have known or been impacted by a child or teenager with a severe life-threatening medical condition.  Outside of hospital rooms, medical charts and IV bags they don't know too much else.  Being sick is very scary for children!  Ever so slightly they can here the whispering that goes on between their parents and their doctors outside the door of their hospital room.  They see the bravery that their parents and family show them, but know they are holding back their tears.  For many of these children time is of the essence.  Their family grasps at anything to create happy memories for their loved one.  And.....then the Make-A-Wish Foundation enters the picture with huge loving arms open wide ready to grant these incredible kids their most special wish EVER!  Many times these wishes that the MAWF grants are the best lasting memory that the child and family have together.  But just like many of us, the MAWF struggles to make ends meet too.  They are a non-profit charity and without funding they are useless.  That's why I'm making today "FIVE DOLLAR FRIDAY" to help generate more funding for them.  Won't you PLEASE consider making a small $5.00 donation to this wonderful foundation?  $5 is less than going to the movies.  $5 is less than a mani/pedi.  $5 is less than I paid for my lunch at work today!!  Please click on the "DONATE" button on my charity badge above to be taken directly to the Network for Good website where you can make your $5 contribution either via credit card or paypal.  It's completely safe and will go directly to my state MAW chapter.  Thank you for helping to pave the way to create happy and joyful memories for kids!!

Love,

Make-A-Wish and Social Networking

June 22, 2010

Isn't it amazing how social networking has revolutionized the way we communicate and share information?  With millions of people using the World Wide Web every day to stay in touch, social networking is part of our daily routine.  Fortunately between the usage of Facebook and my Blog I have been able to successfully relay heartfelt information to you about the Make-A-Wish Foundation - a truly INSPIRING foundation!  If you are not already a FAN of the Make-A-Wish Foundation of America fan page, please CLICK HERE to take you directly to their page.  Here you can read actual posts from wish children and their parents describing their most magical wishes come true!  And, as always, you can visit the the national website at www.wish.org to find the closet MAW chapter in your state.

Donate Airline Miles

June 14, 2010

Do you travel for work?  Do you have frequent flyer miles that you aren't using?  The Make-A-Wish Foundation needs them!

Because many wishes involve air travel donating your airline miles is a great way to help grant wishes.  By donating your airline miles you’re helping the Make-A-Wish Foundation grant travel wishes that require an estimated 2.5 billion airline miles yearly.  Miles that were donated by in-kind donors helped  to fly 10-year-old Haley to Alaska for her wish!  And 8-year-old Zachary to Hawaii for his wish!

Or... perhaps you have a Travel Voucher that is transferable and doesn't expire within 30 days.  Your state chapter is certainly in dire need for this kind of help.  To locate your state chapter, please click here. 

Thank you for helping us to be able to continue granting wishes to children with seriously ill health conditions. 

And the winner of "Make-A-Wish Wednesday" is.....

June 6, 2010

Congratulations to JULIE WINTER RZECHULA for winning "Make-A-Wish Wednesday"!  I received so many entries, thank you everyone for playing!  Julie answered all the questions correctly and was the winner using a computer randomizer program.  Julie is the reigning Mrs. Washington International 2010 and I can't wait to meet her in person at Mrs. International in Chicago in July.  Congrats, Julie!

THE ANSWERS ARE:

1. Who was the very first “Make-A-Wish” child?  What was his wish?

The Make-A-Wish Foundation traces its beginning to one boy’s wish.  In 1980, 7-year-old Chris Greicius was being treated for leukemia.  Every day, he dreamed of becoming a police officer.  His wish did indeed come true!

2. What is the mission of the Make-A-Wish Foundation?

We grant the wishes of children with life-threatening medical conditions to enrich the human experience with hope, strength and joy.

3. What ONE volunteer position requires the most significant time commitment, is the highest level of volunteering offered by Make-A-Wish, and requires constant training and orientations?

Wish Granting is the highest level and is exactly what my husband and I are.  How blessed we are!

4. What are the four most requested wishes categories?

a. I wish to go

b. I wish to be

c. I wish to meet

d. I wish to have

5. Who is eligible to receive a wish?

A child with a life-threatening medical condition who has reached the age of 2 1/2 and is under the age of 18 at the time of referral, is potentially eligible for a wish.

Make-A-Wish Wednesday!

June 2, 2010

Although the official start of summer is still days away (although here in NJ it surely feels like summer) the “Summer of 5,000 Wishes” for the Make-A-Wish Foundation has already begun.  To date, 194,408 wishes have been granted by the Make-A-Wish Foundation since its inception in 1980 and the summer season is always the busiest wish season of the year when up to 5,000 wishes are granted every June, July, August and September.

In honor of the start of the “Summer of 5,000 Wishes” I am holding a fun contest to start the season off with a bang.  One lucky winner will win a custom made pair of earrings made by yours truly, Heather Cunningham for Heather Hemingwa!  In keeping with the color of Make-A-Wish, they will be Cobalt and feature none other than genuine Swarovski rhinestones and crystals.  The total value of the pair will be $100.00.

HERE'S HOW TO PLAY:

You must answer the following 5 questions correctly about the Make-A-Wish Foundation.  Simply leave a ‘comment’ below this post with your answers. All 5 answers MUST be correct.  You may only submit one entry per name.

If your comment doesn’t show up right away, don’t fret, it’s simply because I may have to officially approve it first.  If you do not already have a Google account, please send me a personal email or message me on Facebook so that I can contact you in the event you are the winner.

The contest will run between now and Sunday, June 6th at Noon Eastern Time at which point I will post the correct answers and will utilize a computer randomizer to select one lucky winner from all the correct entries received.

Have fun, good luck and as always thank you for supporting the Make-A-Wish Foundation!

(Clue: For help, visit the MAW website by clicking here.)

QUESTIONS:

1. Who was the very first “Make-A-Wish” child? What was his wish?

2. What is the mission of the Make-A-Wish Foundation?

3. What ONE volunteer position requires the most significant time commitment, is the highest level of volunteering offered by Make-A-Wish, and requires constant training and orientations?

4. What are the four most requested wishes categories?

5. Who is eligible to receive a wish?

My FULL part-time job!

May 31, 2010

As Mrs. New Jersey International 2010, I am simply tickled pink to have the opportunity to share my passion of the Make-A-Wish Foundation with the country.  I continue to embark on this joyous year by supporting all the facets of my personal life and my pageantry life together, which I approach as none other.  I refer to my title as "my FULL part-time job" in order to ensure that everyone I meet can see how passionate I am for them and that they can truly become aware of these organizations.  The Mrs. International Organization, the American Heart Association's Go Red for Women movement, as well as the Make-A-Wish Foundation are three truly fascinating, inspiring, motivating and encouraging organizations that synergistically support life at its best.

Your generous support of these three facets of my life continue to touch my heart.  Please don't stop!  Please continue to show your support for these them, as without YOU they would not be in existence today.  Thank you for all your help!

http://www.mrsinternational.com
http://www.americanheart.org
http://www.wish.org

All my love,

Walt Disney World and Make-A-Wish!

May 26, 2010

Even if you have never been to Walt Disney World, everyone has at least heard of the world's largest and most visited resort.  When the Magic Kingdom opened in 1971 little did anyone think (I'm sure they hoped) that "The Most Magical Place on Earth" would become one of the most iconic and symbolistic names in history.

What is the most popular wish destination for Make-A-Wish kids?  You guessed it: Walt Disney World! The Walt Disney Company has a long-standing relationship with the Make-A-Wish Foundation and has granted more than 75,000 wishes since its partnership began.  Thanks to Disney’s support of the Make-A-Wish Foundation, wish families enjoy tickets to Walt Disney World, special visits from Disney characters and many other magical surprises.  One very special relationship in the Walt Disney World area is "Give Kids The World".  GKTW is its own little village where most of the MAW kids and their families stay during their vacation.  It is a non-profit organization that exists only to fulfill the wishes of all children with life-threatening illnesses from around the world and to allow them to experience a memorable, joyful, cost-free visit to Walt Disney World and other Central Florida attractions.  Over 100,000 children have had their dreams come true at Give Kids The World.  No child in need has ever been turned away – and no child ever will.  Give Kids The World is a place where families find joy, laughter, serenity, and a lifetime of memories.  Through the tireless support of  volunteers, employees and generous partners, they dedicate each and every day to these special families.

As a Wish Granter, I simply never know what my next wish child is going to wish for, but I can tell you that Walt Disney World is by far in the lead for the most requested wish that I have personally helped MAW grant.  Take, for instance, little 4-year-old Emily, who greeted me at the door when I arrived to grant her wish wearing a Cinderella princess dress and a crown.  She said she wanted to visit the iconic Cinderella Castle with her parents and grandparents.  Emily's wish came true!  She had her very own suite at Give Kids the World Village, she had a special lunch with Cinderella and enjoyed an unforgettable dinner with Prince Charming.  And Emily even played the part just right by kicking off her shoe so the prince could put it back on her foot.  How unbelievably CUTE!  After her vacation Emily's mom wrote a note saying, “Truly, the Make-A-Wish Foundation helped us all reclaim our lives before Emily was diagnosed, even if it was for a week – a week which we all needed desperately.”

Thank you to the Walt Disney World Company, Give Kids The World, and the Make-A-Wish Foundation for giving Emily the MAGICAL power of a princess wish she could call her very own!

What do I have in common with Bret Michaels?

May 24, 2010

Well I never thought I would have anything in common with the newest winner of 'Celebrity Apprentice', Bret Michaels.  Most likely all of us have been following him in the news lately due to a myrid of medical problems that have landed him in the hospital on quite a few occassions.  First being a brain hemorrhage that left him clinging to life.  Second being a transient ischemic attack (TIA) or warning stroke, along with revealing that he has a hole in his heart.  Just like Bret, I too have suffered a transient ischemic attack, however not only did I have one, but I had two!

For those who are unfamiliar with TIA's, allow me to give you a very brief education about them..... a TIA is caused by the temporary disturbance of blood supply to an area of the brain, which results in a sudden, brief decrease in brain function. (A decrease in brain function is called a neurologic deficit.)  A TIA is different than a small stroke. The symptoms of TIA's do not last as long as a stroke and do not show changes on a CT or MRI scans. (Small strokes do show changes on such tests.)  A TIA is often considered a warning sign that a true stroke may happen in the future if something is not done to prevent it.  Symptoms begin suddenly, last only a short time (from a few minutes to 24 hours), and disappear completely.  They may occur again at a later time.  Symptoms usually occur on the same side of the body if more than one body part is involved.

My TIA's were due to my lupus and both occurred on the left side of my body.  As a result my left face cheek and my left toes are now numb and tingling.  Both of my TIA's occurred at work sitting at my desk.  There were no warning signs nor did I know what was happening when they were occurring.

Bret Michaels and myself are/could be no different than you!  If you suddenly experience any of the following symptoms, it is extremely important that you call 911 and seek medical help immediately. 

Muscle weakness of the face, arm, or leg (usually only on one side of the body)

Numbness or tingling on one side of the body

Trouble speaking or understanding others who are speaking

Problems with eyesight (double vision, loss of all or part of vision)

Changes in sensation, involving touch, pain, temperature, pressure, hearing, taste

Change in alertness (sleepiness, less responsive, unconscious, or coma)

Personality, mood, or emotional changes

Confusion or loss of memory

Difficulty swallowing

Difficulty writing or reading

Lack of coordination and balance, clumsiness, or trouble walking

Abnormal sensation of movement (vertigo) or dizziness

Lack of control over the bladder or bowels
Inability to recognize or identify sensory stimuli

With stroke being the #3 cause of death in the United States, it's very important that you treat a TIA as a warning of something much bigger to possibly come.  Please visit the American Heart Assocation website to learn more about what you can do if you or a loved one suddenly experiences a TIA.  Don't wait, learn about it NOW!

Flowers and Bees in GIVERNEY!

As the flowers and trees are blooming in all their glory, Springtime takes me back to a time 2 years ago when Tom and I took an incredible tour around England and France with my amazing Mom.  One of our stops was to Giverney, France.

Virtually all of us have seen the beautiful watercolor's of the ever famous Claude Monet.  Seeing his beautiful gardens and his house in person gave me the sense of realization that beautiful places on earth really do exist.

This photo I took myself with my own camera.  Monet's water lily paintings are amongst his more well known of all.  This water lily was in full-bloom and sitting on its lilypad saying "Look at me!"  Although myphoto doesn't do it justice, it was beautiful in person!

Here is a collage of gorgeous flowers that I took photos of all through Monet's gardens.  There were rows and rows of beautiful flowers blooming everywhere. 

Yummy Recipe for Health!

RAINBOW FRUIT SALAD

With Memorial Day right around the corner, here's a heart healthy recipe everyone in your family can help make.  This delicious, colorful and healthy salad can be the perfect accompaniment to your holiday table.  Have the little ones peel bananas and pick grapes while you slice and dice!

Salad ingredients:

• 1 large mango, peeled and diced
• 2 cups fresh blueberries
• 2 bananas, sliced
• 2 cups fresh strawberries, halved
• 2 cups seedless grapes
• 2 nectarines, unpeeled and sliced
• 1 kiwi fruit, peeled and sliced

Honey-Orange sauce ingredients:

• 1/3 cup unsweetened orange juice
• 2 tbsp. lemon juice
• 1 tbsp. honey
• 1 tsp. ground ginger
• Dash of nutmeg

Directions:

1. Prepare and combine the fruit.
2. In a separate bowl, combine all the ingredients for the sauce and mix.
3. Just before serving, pour the sauce over the fruit.

YUM-O!  Enjoy!

Yield: 12 servings
Nutrition Facts: Serving Size 4 oz, Calories 96, Total Fat 1 g, Cholesterol 0 mg, Sodium 4 mg
Source: National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute/National Institutes of Health

Heart Attack Signs!

May 12, 2010

Can you name the signs of a heart attack?

I couldn't before having TWO TIA'S (transient ischemic attacks or "mini-strokes")!!!

Some heart attacks come on strong, cause crushing chest pain, and leave little room for doubt.  But others build slowly and can be mistaken for different problems.  Getting treatment within an hour of a heart attack boosts your odds of surviving.  That's why it's important to know those signs before an attack.

STEP ONE:  KNOW THE SIGNS
Chest pain is the most common and well-known sign of a heart attack.  The discomfort might feel like pressure, squeezing, or fullness.  It usually starts in the center of the chest and may last awhile, or go away and come back.

Other common symptoms include:

• Pain or discomfort in other parts of the body.  This could include your jaw, neck, back, stomach, and one or both arms.
• Shortness of breath.  You may get this along with chest discomfort, or just by itself.
• Nausea and vomiting, feeling fatigued or light-headed, or fainting.
• Breaking out in a cold sweat.
• Chest pain is common among women as well as men.  But women are more likely than men to have some of the other symptoms of heart attack listed, particularly shortness of breath, nausea and vomiting, and back or jaw pain.

STEP TWO:  GET HELP
If you have these signs, or think you might be having a heart attack, call 911 immediately.

Let's Get Baking for Make-A-Wish!

May 10, 2010

If you're anything like me you love to eat!  Sweets are particularly my down fall!  Especially freshly baked chocolate chip cookies!  Yum-O!  Well, if you have some baking to do please be sure to purchase items from Betty Crocker.  "Stirring Up Wishes" is a Betty Crocker multi-year cause-marketing program with the Make-A-Wish Foundation to help grant the wishes of children with life-threatening medical conditions and bring hope, strength and joy to their lives.

This year, Betty Crocker is Stirring Up Wishes for wish kids, and we can ALL help to raise up to $500,000 to help grant wishes. Just look for specially marked Betty Crocker products in your grocery store and for every specially marked product purchased, Betty Crocker will donate 10¢ to the Make-A-Wish Foundation, with a guaranteed minimum donation of $250,000 and a maximum donation of $500,000.

So let's get baking, gang!!

Inspiration

May 9, 2010

Hey'all, be sure to hop on over to my INSPIRATION page.  I just updated it with some inspiring information.  If you ever have any comments to make, be sure to send me a message on Facebook or a personal email.  I would love to hear from you!

Crowning Miss Teen New Jersey International

May 8, 2010

Today "Team New Jersey International" became complete!  Beautiful Sara Reidy was crowned today as the new Miss Teen New Jersey International 2010!  Brielle LaCosta (Miss NJ International) and I (Mrs. NJ International) were on hand to officially crown her at her beautiful home in Princeton, NJ.  Jodi and Scott Cessna, our directors, have their NJ Cessna Bunch all complete now, and we all couldn't be happier.  Sara and her family are simply lovely and I know that Sara is going to have an incredible year ahead of her.  Congratulations, Sara!  Welcome to the family!!

For more information on how YOU can compete to become the next Mrs., Miss or Teen New Jersey International, please visit the website for more information.  Please click here to visit the national website to learn all about the wonderful International Pageants, Inc.

Make-A-Wish Hall of Fame

May 3, 2010

Because celebrities are able to reach so many people throughout the course of their stardom, they are a big part of many of the wishes the MAW Foundation grants.  As I have witnessed first hand, often being a part of the wish experience is almost as moving for the celebrity as it is for the child.  Take Beyonce, for instance.  She recently granted 12-year-old Zykia's wish from the Florida Chapter of MAW.  For one night Zykia was able to put aside hospital visits and doctor examinations to be front and center at Beyonce's concert.  Just having been driven in a stretch limo to the arena, Zykia was ushered to a special area for a meet and greet with Beyonce that started out with a HUGE hug from her idol.  After spending some good amount of quality time with her, Zykia took her front row seat to enjoy the actual show.  Arriving back home in the limo was surely the icing on the cake to what was an INCREDIBLE night for Zykia!

Beyonce is only one out of MANY celebrities who offer their time to grant wishes to children.  The list includes:

Bruce Springsteen
John Cena
Jeff Gordon
The Jonas Brothers
Mariah Carey
"The Office" cast
and the list goes on and on!

To find out how YOU can grant wishes, please visit www.wish.org TODAY!

World Wish Day

April 29, 2010

Today is WORLD WISH DAY!

As the end of World Wish Day draws to a close I was just made aware that more than 175 wishes came true today to children with life-threatening illnesses!  David Williams, President & CEO of MAW, declared that through the development of the Foundation back in 1980 from one little boy's dream of becoming a police officer, today's world wish activities have sparked even greater enthusiasm and involvement in the Foundation.

Let's continue to share the power of a wish all year long.  Refer a child, make a donation, spread the world.  To donate to World Wish Day, please click here!

Thank you for helping to make wishes come true!