Community Corner
Ava's Army Benefit Tonight in North Salem
The benefit for Ava's Army is Friday, May 23, from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. at North Salem Elementary School.
This blog post originally appeared on NHLifeStyle.com
By Anne Metthe
To bring your child to the hospital because you think she is dehydrated from a sinus infection, then to be told something unexpected–something so hard to comprehend. Ava, a beautiful 5 year old girl, has a tumor the size of a baseball and it is malignant. Words cannot describe the fear that is felt to watch a sweet happy 5 year old go into a risky surgery that has so many unknowns. Will she wake up after surgery? Will she lose all that she knows and learned in her short 5 years of life? Will she know any of us? For Jeff and Michael, this was what they faced on what seemed like an ordinary day as the parents of 2 little girls. Their lives as they knew it were changed forever. Minutes seemed like hours, hours lingered and lots of tears and prayers were said while Ava underwent surgery for her brain with the best team of doctors at Children’s Hospital.
When Ava finally woke from what seemed like an eternity, she spoke these precious words “Hi Daddy.” These simple words showed the fight and strength that Ava possesses. She amazed doctors and nurses with how quickly she started to recover from surgery. Day by day she gained her strength and showed marking improvements. As wonderful as all of this was and the show of support the family received, Ava’s fight was just beginning. There was still cancer in her brain that had to be treated aggressively. So as Michael explains to my girls on a level they would understand, “they have to make her more sick to make her better.” Something that as a parent is so unthinkable. To know that the next few months are going to be very challenging, to say the least. That hospital visits are now your full time job, that it could be day or night that you are racing to Children’s Hospital with a fever that you normally could treat at home, but in Ava’s case it could be life-threatening.
The battle continues everyday; facing new challenges and obstacles that Ava continues to fight. Not only does she fight it as the clumps of her hair fall from her head, she still smiles that toothless smile that would melt your heart. As you hug your children and think about how hard life really could be when your strength is tested and your faith is challenged, you think ‘what can I do to make a difference’? That is what my 9 year old daughter, Alex, said as she watched her sister’s little classmate/friend face this horrific challenge. She decided she could do something, and that was to raise money and awareness for Ava’s Army! This is what we can do as a community, because she is truly facing her toughest battle.
_______
By Anne Metthe
To bring your child to the hospital because you think she is dehydrated from a sinus infection, then to be told something unexpected–something so hard to comprehend. Ava, a beautiful 5 year old girl, has a tumor the size of a baseball and it is malignant. Words cannot describe the fear that is felt to watch a sweet happy 5 year old go into a risky surgery that has so many unknowns. Will she wake up after surgery? Will she lose all that she knows and learned in her short 5 years of life? Will she know any of us? For Jeff and Michael, this was what they faced on what seemed like an ordinary day as the parents of 2 little girls. Their lives as they knew it were changed forever. Minutes seemed like hours, hours lingered and lots of tears and prayers were said while Ava underwent surgery for her brain with the best team of doctors at Children’s Hospital.
When Ava finally woke from what seemed like an eternity, she spoke these precious words “Hi Daddy.” These simple words showed the fight and strength that Ava possesses. She amazed doctors and nurses with how quickly she started to recover from surgery. Day by day she gained her strength and showed marking improvements. As wonderful as all of this was and the show of support the family received, Ava’s fight was just beginning. There was still cancer in her brain that had to be treated aggressively. So as Michael explains to my girls on a level they would understand, “they have to make her more sick to make her better.” Something that as a parent is so unthinkable. To know that the next few months are going to be very challenging, to say the least. That hospital visits are now your full time job, that it could be day or night that you are racing to Children’s Hospital with a fever that you normally could treat at home, but in Ava’s case it could be life-threatening.
The battle continues everyday; facing new challenges and obstacles that Ava continues to fight. Not only does she fight it as the clumps of her hair fall from her head, she still smiles that toothless smile that would melt your heart. As you hug your children and think about how hard life really could be when your strength is tested and your faith is challenged, you think ‘what can I do to make a difference’? That is what my 9 year old daughter, Alex, said as she watched her sister’s little classmate/friend face this horrific challenge. She decided she could do something, and that was to raise money and awareness for Ava’s Army! This is what we can do as a community, because she is truly facing her toughest battle.
_______
We will gather as friends, family, coworkers and community to show our support and celebrate the strength of one little girl, Ava. There will be games, activities, raffles, auctions and a show performed by the Red Star’s National Twirlers along with some of our very own Miss NH contestants and our outstanding teens. Ava’s class may surprise us with a song or dance as well. If you have any questions or would like to make donations to Ava’s Army you can contact me at anne.metthe@verani.com
The event for Ava’s Army takes place on Friday, May 23rd at North Salem Elementary School located at 140 Zion Hill Road in North Salem, NH. The event starts at 6pm and runs to 8pm. Adults are $5.00 and Children are $2.00.
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