Caroline was 12 years old. She had a smile that lit up the room and loved spreading joy to others. She cherished time with her family, friends, dogs, and her newest pet, Herbert the hedgehog.
I spent about 15 minutes on the phone with Caroline last Tuesday. She was so excited to be a St. Baldrick’s Ambassador this year and thanked us for giving her the opportunity. I assured her that we were equally as grateful that she said yes. We talked about a variety of things, including how she wanted to engage her nearly 30,000 Twitter followers in this fight.
But the bulk of our time was spent talking about Herbert. She said, “I just always wanted a hedgehog and now I have one.”
The reality is that’s what we should have spent the majority of time talking about. Kids shouldn’t have to talk about their cancer. They should talk about social media and pets and weekend plans.
We work each day with the common goal of supporting cures and less toxic treatments for kids with cancer. And we know that while progress has been made, much work remains. I was reminded of just how much work remains earlier today.
For those who would like to make a donation in Caroline’s memory, please visit her memorial page.
We will always remember you, sweet Caroline, for your smile, laughter, and fun-filled approach to life — always with a dance or two.
SBF
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