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Happy Mother's Day

Hugs for Brady Foundation — Sat, 12 May 2012 21:58:31 GMT

If you're as lucky as I am,

you'll know what I'm talking about...

Sherrie has amazed me ever since the first day we met, and in the years we've been together. Nothing has inspired me more than watching her be a Mom who has experienced the best and the worst of that title. No words can ever explain or describe a Mother’s loss of a baby. Yet, out of this tragedy Sherrie has worked tirelessly to establish the Hugs for Brady Foundation and by doing so, has helped so many other Moms and their babies.

While I’m sure each of us believe our wives, our Moms, give us strength, encouragement, and love every day; it’s seems only appropriate that one day a year we take the time to say; Thank You! And to all the Special Moms spending this day with their children as they battle cancer, I truly wish you nothing but happiness and praise for all you do; Happy Mother’s Day.

Happy Easter & Chag Sameach

Hugs for Brady Foundation — Sun, 08 Apr 2012 10:34:58 GMT

Easter and Passover; two very solemn religious holidays that both celebrate (in different fashions) rebirths or “new” beginnings.

It’s 4:00a.m. and once again I find myself wide awake and missing my son Brady as if his death was just yesterday. Our last Easter together was at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, (CHOP). Brady was recovering from his peripheral blood stem cell transplant and we were filled with happiness and high expectations. In less than 2 months we would find ourselves back in the hospital with the nightmare of pediatric cancer returning. It has been difficult for us to get over the loss of our son and I truly believe we never really will. But just as the holidays celebrate new beginnings so do we; Sherrie is in her 21^st week of pregnancy and within the next 15 or so weeks we will be blessed with twin boys. We are both overjoyed with happiness and excitement. To say the arrival of our babies will be a “new” beginning a gross understatement, it’s going to be incredible! The next few months cannot pass fast enough. It has been a very difficult period of time for Sherrie and me but this Easter, this Passover, this Spring promises to be a rebirth of the spirit of our son Brady and one which will last a life time.

HAPPY EASTER & CHAG SAMEACH to all my Christian and Jewish friends and families! Thank you and everyone else for all you have done and for all you do in making the Hugs for Brady Foundation the success it has become. And for standing by Sherrie and me, we could not have gotten through this ordeal without you! As always; prayers, hugs and good thoughts to all the 40,000 children battling the horrors of pediatric cancer…

Our Last Easter Together…

Happy Easter - SUNDAY, APRIL 4, 2010 6:46 AM, EDT

Indeed a very Happy Easter to all! Brady slept through the night and does not have a fever, and his rash is all but gone! I will let you know how “things” develop during the day but right now it’s just about perfect. Thank you will never be sufficient to convey our gratitude for all the tremendous support you have given us. We wish you and your family the Happiest of Easters and please continue to think about our son, pray for his recovery and hug someone special for Brady; Thank You!!!

PS I just got today's blood count: ANC 278 & white blood 2.1 THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU!!!

Oh What a Night...

Hugs for Brady Foundation — Mon, 20 Feb 2012 01:57:07 GMT

The 2^nd Annual Hugs for Brady Winter Gala was a huge success. It started off with a bang and ended as dramatically as it began.

Thanks to Ray and the Northern Lights Pyrotechnics Club the gala kicked off with a 35 minute awesome firework display that would rival any 4th of July celebration. Ray and his 16 volunteers donated the entire cost and it was just spectacular.

Richard, Josh and Rene of the Hunterdon Hills Playhouse the facility, staff and your total support of our event was beyond expectations. The ambiance, the food and the service were just brilliant; thank you.

The music courtesy of the Rhythm, Reeds and All That Brass was first-rate and we hope to see you guys again. Our MC; Bret Barron of WCTC 1450 was great and we are sincerely indebted to you.

Our three special speakers; Casey, Ryan, and Scott were unbelievable describing their battles with pediatric cancers. They added a new definition to the word courage. Thank you one and all!

We also presented a check to the Cancer Institute of New Jersey for $50,000.00 to fund New Jersey's first Pediatric Cancer Young Investigator Program. Those in attendance also got the opportunity to view our latest video: http://vimeo.com/36517676

Finally, while Brad Benson's acceptance speech for the Hugs for Brady Pediatric Cancer Humanitarian of Year Award was interrupted his words were truly inspirational.

I would remiss if I did not thank all the truly wonderful volunteers for making last night a remarkable success. From Ray, Al, Ray, and everyone else - Thank you from the bottom of my heart!

In closing; Sherrie and the twins are doing extremely well. Sherrie is home and resting. She (at the direction of her doctor, board of directors, and Mom) will be on sabbatical until further notice.

All communications regarding any/all aspects of the Hugs for Brady Foundation should be sent to my attention at: mwells@hugsforbrady.org.

Thank you for your understanding and continued support. As always; hugs, prayers and good thoughts to the 40,000 kids battling cancer...

A Champion On & Off The Field

Hugs for Brady Foundation — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 08:39:12 GMT

As so often happens, it’s 2:00am and I find myself wide awake. As usual the very first thing I do is check out my emails and start “playing” on the computer. Tonight, as I was searching through some recent “tweets” and I found a connection to a pediatric cancer foundation I was previously unaware of the: Tom Coughlin Jay Fund Foundation. Yes, this is the same Tom Coughlin who coached the NY Giants to yet another beating of my beloved New England Patriots and yes, after visiting their website; www.tcjayfund.org I have developed a new appreciation and immense respect for Coach Coughlin.

Ok, I grew up in Connecticut and when I was a kid I was a Big Giant fan and then along the way the AFL came and the next thing I know I’m cheering for the Patriots. But that’s not the point. It doesn’t matter what team you cheer for or don’t cheer for because in the long run it’s not about wearing your favorite team’s jersey that really matters. You see, pediatric cancers don’t have a favorite team; the horrors of this disease don’t care if you’re rich, poor, white, black, male, female, republican or democrat.

Pediatric cancers just try to kill everything in its path. 40,000 kids are currently battling the horrors of cancer and each year around 13,500 children are diagnosed with cancer in the United States alone. One in every 330 Americans develops cancer before the age of twenty. On an average day, 36 children and adolescents (around 46 per school day), are diagnosed with cancer. One in every four elementary schools has a child with cancer. The average high school has two students who are current or former cancer patients. The incidence of invasive pediatric cancers is up 29% in the past 20 years and the causes of most childhood cancers are still unknown. And so sad to say; at present, childhood cancer cannot be prevented*.

Now those are some “stats” that will make any coach or fan cry. So, if you’re a true NY Giant fan or New England fan or a fan of anything and you really want to support your team, make a donation to honor Coach Coughlin’s team or my son Brady’s team www.hugsforbrady.org and help save a kid’s life; Now that’s jersey to wear and be incredibly proud of… Congratulations to Coach Couglin and the New York Giants!

*Thanks to Alex's Lemonade Stand Foundation and Kids v Cancer for sharing this information

Happy New Year

Hugs for Brady Foundation — Sun, 01 Jan 2012 10:18:04 GMT

Sometimes it amazes me how life continues to repeat itself. Looking back on New Year’s Eve 2009 it seems to be one of those times. We were released from the hospital with a very sick baby who in retrospect was dying of cancer. We had such high-hope and belief we were going to beat this barbaric disease, we had such hope our baby would grow up and live a normal life, we had such hope…

But the reality of pediatric cancer had other plans for our son. Two years have passed and still pediatric cancer continues killing babies. It still is not a “big” enough disease to entice the pharmaceutical industry to invest in basic research, it does not have enough voters to entice politicians to increase public funding, it only has us common people to battle the horrors of this sickness. We can make a difference, we must make a difference; the 40,000 kids currently suffering with cancer are counting on us, it’s all they have.

You’re probably asking yourself, “How can I possibly make a difference”? It’s really simple - Make your New Year Resolution to tell just 2 people about the horrors of childhood cancer and ask them to tell 2 people, etc.; etc. It’s really very simple and doesn’t involve dieting! If you want to be more aggressive, just get involved; donate platelets, donate blood, donate your time, or if you can donate money; 40,000 kids need your help.

As we end another year and begin a new, we at the Hugs for Brady Foundation wish you a New Year filled with health, happiness and prosperity - Happy New Year!

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 31, 2009 8:45 PM, EST

Happy New Year

Wow, what a year and where in the world did it go? Sherrie and I will always remember 2009 as the year Brady was diagnosed with leukemia. As we wrap-up this year we have some excellent news to share; we have our son home with us for an entire week! We got home today around 4:00pm and almost immediately went for one of our neighborhood walks. The sidewalks were covered with snow and the Christmas lights were still decorating many homes. Brady got to see one of his favorite dogs; Bunker and he just smiled and smiled and smiled the entire time. It is without a doubt one of the simple things in life we will always cherish.

We also received the preliminary pathology results and we were extremely disappointed. Brady’s cancer is not in remission as his blast count remains at 8%. This is not where any of Brady’s medical team wanted him to be. So, we will continue on to yet another round of chemotherapy but this time we will be treating Brady with some more aggressive and toxic drugs. These include: Cytarabine, Mitoxantrone (Novantrane) and Mylotarg (Gemtuzumab Oxogamicin). This combination is normally used for patients who have relapsed but the combination also has had some success with highly resistant cancers as well. Our goal hasn’t changed; cure the cancer. This is just a setback but not an insurmountable obstacle; just another “speed bump” in this whole process.

We are still scheduled to meet with Dr. Bunin of CHOP on Tuesday for Brady's initial bone marrow transplant (BMT) examination. In fact, Dr. Bunin has already consulted and is in agreement with Dr. Drachtman regarding Brady’s next chemo protocol. Brady has a very difficult challenge ahead of him but Sherrie and I truly believe he will defeat this hideous disease and live a long wonderful life.

Until next year; PLEASE start the New Year off with a prayer, a good thought and hug for Brady – make him your resolution for a miraculous 2010.

Weird Thoughts at 2:00am...

Hugs for Brady Foundation — Thu, 22 Dec 2011 17:08:25 GMT

It has been a while since I’ve posted a blog entry; sometime I think it’s a story that no one really wants to hear, let alone repeat. But until this horrible disease is cured I will continue to shout to the roofs tops about the havoc pediatric cancer causes. Brady was returned to Bristol-Myers Squibb Children’s Hospital (BMSC) for his next round of chemotherapy on December 1, 2009 and we had the pleasure of staying in the hospital through the Holiday Season. I hope you will find the following journal entries of interest and as a reminder of just how blessed you are to share this time of the year with healthy children.

SUNDAY, DECEMBER 20, 2009 2:24 AM, EST

Weird thoughts at 2:00am – Funny how a snow storm effects people; super markets are busy with people stocking up on bread, milk and eggs. I wonder where and why that started. My wonderful Mother-in-law (Janice) (like so many people) gets a little panicky and really doesn’t like to drive in “it”, even though she drives a Lincoln Navigator SUV – the Sherman tank of SUV’s. Here at the hospital, the nurses are all concerned about getting snowed in on the job because they cannot leave without their replacements showing up. And for me it’s just another day. I have never been a person who gets bothered too much by the weather. It’s very pretty looking from our window as the snow continues to fall. Bright, white and blizzard-like conditions are very cool to watch from the inside.

Tonight Brady was in a rather demanding mood. He would not go to sleep for what seemed forever, finally around 10:00pm, out he went. This was after almost 3 hours of walking around and around the pediatric hematology/oncology unit. As I have mentioned, it takes approximately 63 steps to complete 1 lap and I think tonight we walked enough to ravel any merry-go-round. Brady perched a high in his “mail cart” much like Don Quixote on his horse Rocinante and I his trustee manservant Sancho Panza chasing behind. Around and around we traveled, Brady’s only interest was which “neighbor” would stop by to chat with him or if one of the nurses wanted to bite one of his feet or tickle him as he receives non-stop compliments about how adorable he is. This is all going on as he sits with a very somber look as if he knows something you don’t. Seriously it was a sight to behold and one I will cherish for a life time.

Brady is without a doubt a very special child. I am truly blessed to have him in my life and I plan to do everything possible to keep it this way. Sherrie phoned me around 11:30pm to chat; she is very scared (about Brady) and I share her fear as I have never feared before. Tuesday we will have a phone conference with the doctors from Sloan-Kettering to get a third opinion regarding bone marrow transplantation. I think it’s fairly safe to say Sherrie and I are leaning towards including stem cell transplantation as part of Brady’s regiment, it’s becoming a choice of where and whether or not to include full body radiation. We will BEAT this beast or should I say Brady will! The conclusion of our story can have NO other ending. For unlike the Man of La Mancha Brady’s windmills are real and must be destroyed.

I have no idea where or why I am attempting to use The Man of La Mancha as a pseudo metaphorical comparison to Brady’s condition. Like I said; “Weird thoughts at 2:00am”. So, before I go further off the deep end l will call it a night. Until next time; please keep Brady in your thoughts, prayers and hugs…

Happy Birthday, Brady

Hugs for Brady Foundation — Sun, 21 Aug 2011 16:48:38 GMT

Another day of the bitter sweet memory of a special little boy who never had a chance to grow up; HAPPY BIRTHDAY, BRADY! Three years ago, our miracle child was born at 5:03pm. A beautiful, healthy baby arrived into this world with the help of a dad having his 22 year old vasectomy reversed, a mom who has experienced 2 previous miscarriages and who battles juvenile epilepsy and with a little help of the IVF clinic our wonderful boy was born. From his first day we knew in our hearts Brady was special. We knew he was going to be the captain of his high school football team, the class president and of course an honor student on his way to Princeton University. We like all parents had dreams of outrageous expectations and pride.

The first year of Brady’s life began to validate some of our (my) outlandish goals. Brady at 4 months started swimming lessons at the Y and it wasn’t too long before he was jumping off the edge of the pool into his dad’s prideful arms. Before he was a year old he learned when his parents said the letters; “W. A. L. K:” his response became “shoes”. Not only did Brady tell us he wanted his shoes on but he would also tell us which shoes he wanted to wear.

Yes, surely our Brady was on his way to Yale, Harvard, a law degree, a run at the Governors’ office and then on the Presidency. After all, this was our son and his world had no limits. August 21, 2009 we had a small birthday party, (just family and friends) gathered to celebrate Brady’s first birthday and like today it rained. As I was barbequing (in the rain) my baby was banging his little hands at the patio door and didn’t stop until he was in his back pack on my shoulders barbequing with his da-da in the rain. Little did we ever think this would be the only birthday Brady would ever get to celebrate. On October 12, 2009 Brady was diagnosed with leukemia and on July 30, 2010 he passed away.

How does one ever put into words the vast array of emotions that stream through our hearts on a continuous, never-ending basis? The other day we received a birthday card from the Embrace Kids Foundation; at first I was a bit upset thinking this was rather an insensitive gesture, then I read the card;

“There are some

who bring a light

so great to this

world that even

after they are

gone the light

remains”.

-Anon

That’s what I believe our son Brady has created, a light to illuminate the world to the horrors of pediatric cancer. A beacon to show the world the need to value the gift of life because it can be ever, ever so short. Today, as I sit here missing Brady as much as ever, my pride for what his life has created is paramount and far exceeds any acceptance letter to an Ivy League College. Hug the children you love, pray for the ones in need and wish Brady a Happy Birthday!

anniversaries...

Hugs for Brady Foundation — Sat, 30 Jul 2011 09:13:00 GMT

There is not a day that passes without the bitter sweet memories of our astonishing baby passing through our minds. Brady was simply a gift from God, an all too short glimpse of unconditional love, strength, beauty and pure joy. We long for his smile, his sweet voice, his incredible sense of humor, and most of all his warm affectionate hugs.

One year ago Sherrie and I lost a part of our souls that will never, can never be replaced. One year ago, tears started to flow from our eyes and haven’t stopped. One year ago, our hearts were ripped opened and one year ago seems like yesterday.

We have asked ourselves a millions times over; why? We have screamed out in the middle of this nightmare without making a sound. We have hidden our pain to the best of our abilities with no relief. Today marks another day of emotional wandering and wanting.

Why will never be answered, and the pain will most likely never subside. The only way any of this makes sense is to try with all the energy and strength we can muster is to help other babies and their families avoid the horrors of pediatric cancer.

The Hugs for Brady Foundation is our son’s legacy, it is our reason for trying to hold on and it is somehow someway going to help others share in the magnificent miracle of our son Brady. Brady is not with us physically but his spirit lives on.

Today of all days, take a moment, hell take an hour to hug someone in honor of the most courageous person I’ve ever had the honor of knowing; our son – Brady Michael.

One Month Ago...

Hugs for Brady Foundation — Sun, 10 Jul 2011 13:40:50 GMT

It has been 29 days since my last blog entry. Why I have not posted an entry for such a long period of time is simple yet so very complex. The easy excuse would be to tell you I've been extremely busy; after all the month of June can be a rather hectic month - not really! The complex thought process behind avoiding writing an entry is some time it just hurts a bit more than I can handle. Imagine that, a 6'2" 240lbs man not having the courage to deal with the reality of the loss of his baby boy. There isn't an hour of a day that goes by that Brady is not running through my memory. There isn't a day that I haven't felt a tear roll down my cheek and thank God there isn't a day that goes by where I remember a moment, a Brady moment which brings a smile to my face.

When I look back at what Brady endured in his battle with cancer, it is overwhelming the pain our baby suffered. Treatment after treatment, procedure after procedure, more than any baby should ever experience. Pediatric cancer is evil beyond comparison. It attacks the defenseless and destroys from within. It spares no race, religion, sex, ethnicity and social status; it just destroys everything it touches.

So, the complex part of writing a blog like this is at times the loss of Brady is just over-whelming and emotionally debilitating. The only thing that keeps me and Sherrie going is the Hugs for Brady Foundation. It is our way of not letting pediatric cancer continue to get away with murder. It is our way of making sure that kids have a fighting chance against this beast. It is our way of trying to remain sane and honor our baby.

Brady was so special in so many ways, I will never understand why he was taken from us so early. I can only hope the courage he demonstrated, the love he shared, the joy he brought and his beautiful smile will never leave my soul. Until next time; good thoughts, prayers and hugs are always welcomed...

Sort of at a loss...

Hugs for Brady Foundation — Sat, 11 Jun 2011 15:19:00 GMT

Not much to write about, at least that’s what I’m feeling this gloomy Saturday morning, it’s been a very busy week for the Hugs for Brady Foundation with planning meetings upon planning meetings. We have a few wonderful events in the near future which we are all very excited about; first the South Brunswick / Hugs for Brady Independence Day Firework Celebration. This annual event is being held at Crossroads Middle School in Monmouth Junction, NJ on Saturday July 2^nd beginning at 5:00pm. Lots of fun, food and of course fireworks! Come out and enjoy the evening.

Next on our list is the Hugs for Brady Softball Tournament on July 9^th at Woodlot Park, New Road in Kendall Park starting at 8:00am. You can contact Heather Domotor at: heatherdomotor@aol.com or phone her: 732.801.5389. Registrations no later than June 20^th so, hurry-up if you want your team to participate.

Finally, as the summer heats up, we have our 1^st Hugs for Brady Golf Outing. This event will be held at Galloping Hills Golf Course in Kenilworth, NJ with a 7:00am breakfast followed by a shotgun start. If you like golf and want to support a worthwhile cause come join us for a day of sunshine, prizes and perhaps a chance to win a $1,000.000.00.

So, as I said; not too much going on, just the repetitive nagging thought that a year ago Brady was in the hospital fighting for his life and a year later it seems just like yesterday. A year goes by and no new pediatric cancer drugs have come on the market. A year goes by and still 40,000 kids are fighting for their lives. A year goes by and 13,000 more children have been diagnosed with cancer. Yet, nothing of any significance in curing these kids has happened. How many more children must be sacrificed before we start taking this plague seriously? It just so damn awful! But it can be stopped with your help!

My apologies for the “hissy fit” but I did tell you I was sort of at a lost. Until next time always, prayers, good thoughts and hugs for all…

No Excuses...

Hugs for Brady Foundation — Sun, 05 Jun 2011 19:36:52 GMT

It’s been a couple of weeks since my last blog entry and I have much to report. First, Jessica I hope when you read this, it will stop you from threatening me with bodily harm. I promise I will write more often if only to avoid your wrath. Secondly, Kellie if you’re going to fly all the way from North Carolina to run in the Hugs for Brady 5k you can at least not embarrass me by finishing 16 minutes before I waddled across the finish line. And finally, Anna even though you finished ninth in your age group, you still finished dead last in the entire race.

Wow, what a day at the races! The 1^st Annual Hugs for Brady Twilight 5k and Family Fun Run raised an incredible $11,330.51 with more than 300 runners and walkers participating. When we started planning this event, we were told if we just broke-even the first year we should consider it a success. Well, if that’s true I guess netting more than $7,000.00 has to be considered a huge accomplishment. Our thanks to Jodi Brywka and Dave Brockman for making this possible; Tom Morris of the South Brunswick Park Commission for all your help and for the 100 or so volunteers from our community and local businesses like Best Buy and Confectionately Yours for making this fund raiser just unbelievably successful. Next year Jodi, Dave and Tom have already promised to raise even more money for Hugs for Brady. Thank you one and all and Kellie next year I will finish before you!

What else has been going on since my last entry? Well, we had a terrifically successful Blood & Platelet Drive at Confectionately Yours. The Red Cross collected more than 30 pints of blood and more than 16 units of platelets. As a side comment, if you haven’t donated blood or platelets please do so as it is just critical in helping kids with cancer battle this horrible disease.

We also had a very special event take place on Sunday May 22^nd the walking path which rambles through College Woods (the small park) at the end of our street was named in honor of Brady. Our neighbors Rich and Tracey Domotor initiated this wonderful project and we are forever thankful for your kindness and compassion. It is really difficult for me to express just how amazingly beautiful the monument is; for Sherrie and me it is as breathtaking as Mount Rushmore. The ceremony was attended by several of our friends and neighbors, for more details please read Davy James’ article recently published in the South Brunswick Patch: http://southbrunswick.patch.com/articles/the-memory-of-brady-wells-lives-on-video

I am also pleased to tell you the new TVs and gaming stations are finally being installed in the Pediatric/Hematology Unit in Bristol-Myers Squibb Children’s Hospital. So far, everyone is very pleased with the results and it should make staying in that unit just a little more comfortable for both the kids and the parents. Our special thanks to the Love for Lilly and Best Buy of South Brunswick for making this a reality.

Ryan Herits (Brittany’s brother) recently graduated from St. Johns University. Ryan played lacrosse at St. Johns and after hearing about Brady from his sister; asked his coach (Coach Miller) if the team could do something to honor Brady. Well, the attached video says it a lot better than I can. Ryan & Brittany are two amazing young people and we are blessed to have you as our friends. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XlR3u3bROWM

Finally, Memorial Day the last Sunday in May, the unofficial first day of summer and the day Brady’s cancer returned. It’s beyond irony the day is named “memorial” as it will always be a day of dreadful memories for us. Anyone who has lost a child knows how difficult anniversary dates are and Memorial Day will never have the same meaning for Sherrie and me. What makes the pain of our loss tolerable are the actions of our friends, family, neighbors and everyone who continues supporting our efforts of helping kids with cancer. Some day pediatric cancer will be a forgotten nightmare; until that day, what we have is our ability to pray for all the children battling this disease, think of how we can help them and of course give someone in need of (especially Jessica) a big hug – it really makes life so much better…

Got to run, Sherrie and I are off to participate in the Central Jersey CureSearch Walk in Princeton. If you’re in the area registration is at 9:00am and CureSearch is one of the main non-profit organizations focusing on lifesaving research for childhood cancer. Don’t forget hugs for Jessica, it’s essential for my well being…

Bitter / Sweet Days...

Hugs for Brady Foundation — Sat, 07 May 2011 12:17:00 GMT

It’s with so many mixed emotions that I write this entry that I really don’t know where to begin. On one hand another tremendous week for the Hugs for Brady Foundation and on the other; well I’ll eventually get to that.

On the bright side, Stacey Gondek entered the Hugs for Brady Foundation into the Pepsi Refresh Project and she was informed Hugs for Brady is under review to be nominated as a possible entry. If we are accepted I believe we could receive a significant amount of grant money. Nice work, Stacey and I will up-date my 3 readers as I obtain more details.

This past Wednesday, Sherrie was the principal speaker at yet another American Red Cross (Penn/Jersey) HomeTown Hero Recognition Awards Luncheon. She spoke in front about 100+ people and did an incredible job. I don’t believe there was a dry eye in the place and I was just so very proud of her. Don’t forget our next Blood & Platelet Drive is next Sunday May 15^th at Confectionately Yours in Franklin Park, NJ. You can register on line www.redcross.org just mention sponsor code: 14838. If you can’t give blood, stop by Confects for a day of fun!

Today, we are conducting 2 fund raising events; one at Major Car Wash in South Brunswick, NJ and the other at the Road Runner Sports in North Brunswick, NJ. The event at the car wash is our made-up date as we were rained out the day before Easter. The Road Runner Sports event is part 2 of our pre-race clinics. This event is very cool as all we have to do is get 80 people to show up and have a ShoeDog analysis which will determine the perfect fitting running or walking shoes. Very simple, very cool and Road Runner Sports had pledged $2,000.00 to the Hugs for Brady Foundation once we hit 80 people. So, as Bob Barker would say. “Com’on Down.” The Hugs for Brady 1^st Annual Twilight 5k Race / Family Fun Walk is just a few weeks away and getting the “right” shoes is a perfect way to get started.

At Major Car Wash, it gets even easier – just bring your car and get it washed and drop some money in one of collection boxes on the way out. Couldn’t be easier and the guys at Major do a Great job.

Now back to reality. Sunday is going to be a very difficult and emotional day at our home; it’s Mothers Day and Sherri is really (as you would expect) feeling the heavy load of not having her baby. I have researched what to do, how to act and what to say to her and what I’ve concluded is; it’s going to be a day that is filled like the rest of our days with bitter sweet memories of Brady. I’m sure this will be the same for Mark’s Mom, Jasanti’s Mom, Christian’s Mom and the many other Mothers who have lost a child; it’s just not easy.

So, if you run into Sherrie in the next couple of days, give her a hug she’d like that. If you don’t see her; keep her in your thoughts and prayers as she was just about the Best Mom ever and deserves all your blessings! And to my 3-4 readers;

Happy Mothers Day to one and all…

Sunny Sundays...

Hugs for Brady Foundation — Sun, 01 May 2011 17:56:00 GMT

Sunday mornings are just about the best of the best days of the week. I just woke up; 5:30am which for me is sleeping in. The sun is trying to peek over the morning twilight and the birds are making all the noises of a jungle. It’s a great time of day and life is good!

Last night we had a wonderful evening of good food, too much wine and great company at a local fund raising event for our library. The food was catered by the Brownstone Restaurant of Paterson, NJ and it was incredible. We will be attending a wedding at the Brownstone in July and I really cannot wait – Yummo!

Now on to truly important stuff; The Hugs for Brady Foundation! The month of May is going to be a rather busy month. On the schedule is a Blood Drive at Confectionately Yours, and our 1^st Annual Hugs for Brady Twilight 5k Run / Family Walk. Both events should be fun and entertaining as my beautiful bride doesn’t let a gathering go by without adding numerous “things” to liven it up. At the Blood Drive (to be held Sunday May 15^th at Confectionately Yours) there is going to be a classic car show hosted by the Hollywood Night Cruisers, a Bounce Hut for the kiddies, a dance expo by the All Star Dance Academy, Sparkee the mascot of the Somerset Patriots will be appearing along with the beautiful Mrs. New Jersey. All this and Sherrie has offered ice cream to everyone who donates platelets. Seriously, if you are planning on donating please contact the Red Cross at www.redcrossblood.org and enter Sponsor Code: 14838. It’s that simple and the ice cream at Confectionately Yours is just terrific!!!

On to the Twilight 5k Run / Family Walk which is going to be held on Saturday May 21^st at the South Brunswick High School. It too will have all sorts of fun “things” to do and I will be up-dating you as we get a little closer. For now, just go to our website and under upcoming events and REGISTER! You will receive a Hugs for Brady Tee Shirt and every dollar we earn will go directly to helping kids with cancer.

Some other items of interest, Sherrie will be in Philadelphia this Wednesday speaking on behalf of the American Red Cross and the importance of donating blood. She does a wonderful job and I am very proud of her for having the courage and poise to share our story with so many people. This luncheon event will be comprised of many local businesses considering sponsoring blood drives. No doubt in my mind; before they leave the room Sherrie will have all of them scheduling drives.

Also, there are several photos of the New Jersey contingency from our Advocacy Day in Washington, DC. Just click on this link:We did a fine job representing our state and hopefully we can get even more people involved nex year. In this photo is Johnny was one of Brady’s best buddy and is doing so well winning his battle with cancer. A personal note to Johnny, “you still owe me $50.00 you loss playing connect the dots with me and I WANT it." Or we can play double or nothing next year in DC...

To see all the photos just click of the following link: http://www.kintera.org/c.8hKOI3MFIjI2E/b.6698973/k.8A75/Photo_Gallery/siteapps/tools/PhotoGallery.aspx

One more link to check out: http://www.redstormsports.com/allaccess/?media=243332. This is an interview with Brittany Herits brother Ryan a senior at St. John’s University and a remarkable young man from a remarkable family. Brittany & Ryan - Thank you.

So, the sun is above the horizon and it looks like it’s going to be a beautiful day. I will stop here and as good as my life is (and believe me it really is pretty darn good) there isn’t a day, an hour, a moment that Brady is very far from my mind. As redundant as it may sound; I just miss him so much. This horrible disease called pediatric cancer must be stopped and the only way possible is with your involvement. Please follow one of the moral points of the Hugs for Brady compass: Donate Blood, Donate Platelets, Donate Time, and (if you can) Donate Money. Remember prayers, hugs and good thoughts are also always welcomed!

Chocolate Bunnies...

Hugs for Brady Foundation — Sat, 23 Apr 2011 11:33:00 GMT

Its mornings like these that have a tendency to get me down in the dumps; it’s dark and rainy. For some crazy reason, in the damp, dreariness of morning light I miss Brady ever so; it actually hurts. Today, we were to suppose to be conducting a small fund raiser at Major Car Wash on Route 1 in North Brunswick, NJ and because of the rain we are now moving the event to Confectionately Yours on Route 27 in Franklin Park. It’s sad we’re not going to be at the car wash, the folks there have been just wonderful supporting our foundation.

Speaking of Confects; yesterday (Good Friday) is one of their busier days of the year and they found themselves short-handed. Sherrie volunteered to help and I understand did an outstanding job as Hostess for the lunch time crowd. I got to Confects around 5:30PM to join Sherrie and I too was soon put to work making sure the chocolate candy display was kept full of freshly made chocolate Easter Bunnies, chocolate eggs, chocolate crosses and chocolate “whatevers.” It seemed as fast as I put it on the shelf it was gone. Joe Gondek was making the chocolate items, Sherrie was wrapping, and heat sealing and I was pricing and stocking. Fun evening but I came home totally shot! I don’t think the “thank you” night cap(s) of 12 year old Macallan Scotch generously offered and graciously accepted had anything to do with feeling tried. (Thanks Joe, you keep the 12 year old coming and I’ll help out anytime).

I guess last night sums up the totally mixed emotional roller coast ride we have been on since the passing of Brady. On one hand, we have developed a group of the most caring, loving, generous friends a person could ever want. Our neighbors are like family members; every one of them just as warm and thoughtful as if we had lived here all our lives. The total irony of this is it took the loss of Brady to show us just how truly wonderful people can be. I guess its Gods way of trying to balance the books. I don’t really know, but I can tell you this much without all the Good People watching over Sherrie and I gloomy days like today would be virtually impossible to deal with. From my heart; thank you; to our good friends, neighbors, and family for making this seemingly endless pain tolerable. I just miss my baby boy…

We wish all of you a Blessed Easter Sunday full of good thoughts, prayers and hugs and maybe a couple Confectionately Yours chocolate bunnies hand wrapped and displayed by Sherrie and Me…

Sometime it doesn't go your way...

Hugs for Brady Foundation — Thu, 14 Apr 2011 07:42:00 GMT

Sherrie's Entry

It is with a heavy heart that I am writing this letter to inform you that Hugs for Brady Foundation was not chosen as the charity of choice for the New Jersey Association of Student Councils. It was a difficult decision as the three finalist, including Hugs for Brady, are all amazing charities that were all deserving of this award. On a happier note, we have been informed that Hugs for Brady has all ready been nominated and is on the list to compete for next year’s award.

This prospect has given the Cancer Institute of New Jersey (CINJ) the opportunity to review what they could do financially to support the Hugs for Brady Pediatric Hematology Oncology Fellowship. CINJ has verbally committed to finding donors to cover half of the $300,000 fellowship cost. This is great news for us as it means we should be a to finance a fellowship program by 2012.

As you know, this fellowship is so very important to Hugs for Brady, The Cancer Institute of New Jersey, Bristol-Myers Squibb Children’s Hospital, Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital, and the many children in New Jersey that are currently suffering from cancer. The unfortunate facts are that there are not enough doctors/researchers going into this field and the population of children getting cancer is increasing. An interesting piece of information is that the oncology doctors at CINJ spend a large portion of their time doing basic research, trying to find a cure. But the sad reality is, without funding there will be no pediatric cancer fellowship program in the entire state of New Jersey by the end of this year.

In closing, if you happen to have a connection to a person or a business that is willing to give a donation towards the fellowship, please don’t be shy. I would be very happy to contact them, give a presentation, and go into much greater detail as to why this is critical for the children. Their generosity really could make a difference!

Thank you for all of your well wishes, prayers, and continued support. We will not stop until we find a cure. And please, to honor Brady - hug someone you love...

Oh, What A Week...

Hugs for Brady Foundation — Sun, 10 Apr 2011 20:16:00 GMT

I got back from a business trip to Las Vegas on Friday evening the plane was packed and of course late and the weather was just awful. However, it was great to be home after 5 days away.

Sherrie had an unbelievable Friday as she made a presentation to the New Jersey Association of Student Councils, (NJASC) hoping to convince this fine organization to make Hugs for Brady their charity for 2011/2012 school year. Last year, the NJASC raised more than $150,000 for the Spread the Magic Foundation and it would be just incredible if we were chosen this year. The Hugs for Brady Foundation is one of 3 finalists out of more than 100 charities and now it’s a wait-and-see what happens; we hope to know by this time next week. Please say a prayer as this would bring us ever so close to our goal of funding a Pediatric Hematology / Oncology Fellowship program.

A few comments about our Fellowship goal; New Jersey currently has a total of 54 Pediatric Hematology / Oncologists of which 23 practice in state. There is 1 Fellowship program and it is about to be completed with no funding available for a future fellowship. This is just about as sad as it gets, as 23 practicing Pediatric Hematology / Oncologists in NJ is the exact same number as West Virginia and Alabama. How can this be justified or explained is beyond words. And remember, these are the same doctors who are looking to cure pediatric cancer while treating the kids afflicted with this horrible disease. 23 doctors in New Jersey with a population 25+% greater than WV and AL combined is just repugnant.

Enough of my soap box, but it just makes me a little more insane than I need to be. Yesterday, the Hugs for Brady Foundation (inner-circle of Grandma Jan, Grandpa Gary, Sherrie and me) delivered over 500 bouquets of flowers to St. Peters Children’s Hospital, Bristol-Myers Squibb’s Children’s Hospital and the PSE&G Children’s Hospital. I love doing this as it is truly amazing the smiles it brings to the faces of the patients, nurses, doctors and staff. This is my favorite HFB event and I hope we can continue it forever. Our very special thanks to our anonymous donor for your continued generosity and kindness; you are just wonderful!

Today we spent Sunday morning at Road Runner Sports an amazing store solely dedicated to running and walking shoes. They have committed to donating $1,000.00 to Hugs for Brady if we had 40 people so up for a shoe analysis and fitting. We managed to bring 50+ people and so it was a rather profitable Sunday morning. To check out Road Runner Sports you can visit their website: http://www.roadrunnersports.com/. And if you missed this clinic Road Runner will be conducting another one on Saturday May 7, 2011 starting at 9:00 AM. Once again, if we bring in 40 people, HFB will receive a $1,000.00. These folks know what they are doing and it was really cool to have an electronic analysis of my feet to get an accurate shoe fitting. Now, all I have to do is start running to get ready for our 5k on May 21^st.

So, it’s another week in the books for Hugs for Brady and another week of missing Brady like it was just yesterday. It's a chronic pain, a hole in my heart which will never go away and will never stop hurting. As I was sitting on the plane The Phantom of Opera playing in my headset, I just started crying like a baby. Quite frankly, I think the guy sitting next to me thought I was insane. But it’s like that; out of the blue waves of sadness and despair hit you with the force of a tsunami. I will never get over the loss of Brady and so we continue our battle fighting this hideous disease; it must be stopped. Until that day, we have our family, our friends, our prayers, our good thoughts, and our hugs to help us on our long flights. Thank you…

The World is Full of Remarkable People...

Hugs for Brady Foundation — Sun, 03 Apr 2011 14:18:00 GMT

It’s 3:00am on a Sunday morning and I can’t sleep, what else is new? Interesting Saturday; we delivered over 120 bouquets of beautiful red roses to Bristol-Myers Squibb Children’s Hospital and I must say it just amazes me how happy people are when you give them flowers. Sherrie and I love doing this and I sure hope our supplier (who wishes to remain anonymous) continues to support our efforts. Thank you my friend!

We also stopped by to pay our respects to Jodi and Jeff (Mrs. Meszaros’ children) and her husband Bob. Mrs. M would be very proud of her family as they exemplify the same kindness and caring which was ever present in her personality and values. Bob (Mr. M.) is taking the loss of his bride of nearly 42 years as hard as one would expect. However, he too impressed me with his consideration as he told me his asparagus crop was showing signs of sprouting and he once again promised me a bunch or two. Just a side comment; Mr. Meszaros’ home grown Jersey asparagus are about the best I have ever, ever tasted; can’t wait to crunch into one. Abraham Lincoln is quoted saying, “All that I am or ever hope to be, I owe to my angel Mother,” rest quietly Mrs. M, you did a wonderful job…

We finished our day at our favorite family restaurant; Confectionately Yours or as I like to call it, the “Cheers” of family restaurants. Once again, we left there with our stomachs full and tears just about rolling down our faces from all the laughing and story telling. If you are ever in the Central Jersey area make it a point to stop at Confects, you will not be disappointed.

Did you ever meet a person who by their sheer efforts make you say; “WOW.” Well, our friend Brittany Herits is one of those people. We met Brittany at BMSCH where she was working as a technician. It soon became obvious that this young lady had much greater potential and plans. Brittany left BMSCH and is now enrolled at the University of Pennsylvania in medical school studying to become a doctor. To help with her expenses she is also in the Naval Reserves and currently holds the rank of Lieutenant Junior Grade. If this isn’t enough Brittany is a very active member of the Hugs for Brady Foundation and is the Chairperson for our up-coming Golf Outing. Where she finds the time and energy I will never know but it runs throughout her family. Brittany has managed to get her entire family involved in our foundation; from her Mom & Dad attending our recent Winter Gala to her younger brother Ryan who is a student and lacrosse player at St. Johns University, it’s just incredible.

Ryan was so touched by Brady’s courageous battle with cancer that he too felt compelled to help. Last year, he convinced his coach and fellow players to wear a decal on the back of their lacrosse helmets. And he created a challenge to his teammates and fans to contribute money for every goal he scores. To date, Ryan has raised more than $500. Recently, Ryan (and Brittany) efforts were spotlighted in an article in Inside Lacrosse. Here’s that article:

“Senior midfielder Ryan Herits explained to us that his summer club team wore the "BW" decal on the back of their helmet and asked coach Miller if the Johnnies could also wear the decal. The "BW" spreads awareness for pediatric cancer through The Hugs for Brady Foundation paying tribute to Brady Wells who courageously battled Non-Differentiated Acute Leukemia, a very rare form of leukemia, passing away before reaching his second birthday last summer. Herits' sister is also active on the Board of directors for the Foundation whose goal is to to help in any and every way possible to ease the pain of the children and their families who have cancer. Another outstanding act of awareness by the lacrosse community.”

It’s just amazing how everyday people can find the time to make our crazy world a better place to live. One last item before I say good-bye; Mrs. Meszaros funeral arrangements were published in today’s newspaper, please read the following and you will get a much better understanding of why Mrs. M’s family is just so incredible.

The Funeral will be held 8:45 am Tuesday, April 5, 2011 at M.J. Murphy Funeral Home, 616 Ridge Road at New Road, Monmouth Junction. Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated 10:00 am Tuesday at St. Augustine of Canterbury Church, 45 Henderson Road, Kendall Park. Burial will follow in Holy Cross Burial Park, South Brunswick. Calling hours will be held Monday, April 4, 2011 from 2:00 to 4:00 and 7:00 to 9:00 pm at the funeral home. Memorial contributions may be made in her memory to The Hugs for Brady Foundation, c/o Sherrie Wells, 4 Quentin Road, Kendall Park, NJ 08824.

What else is there to say, except Hugs, Prayers and Good Thoughts are so deserved to so many good people… Thank you!

Saturday Morning...

Hugs for Brady Foundation — Sat, 02 Apr 2011 16:05:00 GMT

It’s Saturday morning and while my bride is fast a sleep I thought I’d scribble some words down for Brady’s Blog. Sherrie has been working ever so hard on making our foundation a lasting success. I mentioned in my last entry the wonderful job she did for the Red Cross Hometown Hero’s Dinner; well next week she has another significant presentation. On Friday April 8^th Sherrie will be giving a presentation to The New Jersey Association of Student Councils. The Hugs for Brady Foundation is one of three finalists to become the NJASC charity of choice for 2011. This in itself is a major honor as we’ve been told there were more than 100 non-profit organizations initially under consideration. The stakes are high, last year’s charity received more than $150,000.00 from the NJASC, so please wish and pray Sherrie is at her best on Friday. There is no doubt in my mind she will do an outstanding job!

On Thursday evening the world lost one of the most kindest, caring and loving people; Mrs. Meszaros. As I have mentioned Mrs. M was just simply a wonderful friend who is now in heaven with Brady. I am going to propose to our board members we honor Mrs. M. with a position on our board of directors as. “Grandmother Emeritus.” She is just ever so worthy of any and every honor she receives. Mrs. M we will miss you…

Finally, I hear Sherrie stirring out of bed so I am going to say good-bye for now. We are off to deliver flowers to the hospital, only 120 bouquets this week. Until next time, all my hugs, prayers and thoughts will be going to Mrs. M’s family during this most trying time. If it’s any consolation; Brady (I’m sure) is holding her hand…

Oh what a night...

Hugs for Brady Foundation — Fri, 01 Apr 2011 10:42:00 GMT

This is going to be a very short entry as I must get my butt in gear for a very hectic day at the office and in NYC. First, Sherrie was just incredible last night as the Guest Speaker for the NJ Red Cross Hometown Hero's Dinner. Sherrie's presentation in front of nearly 200 people was so well received that she has been asked to speak again at a major Red Cross event in Philadelphia. I am just so proud of my beautiful bride!

On a much more somber note. Sherrie's life long friend, neighbor and one of the sweetest, nicest, kindest women I have ever met passed away last evening. Mrs. Meszaros or as Sherrie calls her; Mrs. M. died last night surrounded by her loving husband Bob and her family. Please say a prayer for Jody and Jeff as they deal with the loss of their loving Mom. I think Jody's text message to Sherrie said it best: "...my Mom is now in Heaven playing with Brady."

Sometimes Hugs, Good Thoughts and Prayers just don't seem to be enough but it's all we have...

Rainy days always get me down…

Hugs for Brady Foundation — Thu, 24 Mar 2011 00:00:00 GMT

I would truly hate to live in Cleveland, Buffalo, Pittsburgh, Seattle or any other place that gets less than 100 days of annual sunshine. It’s just depressing, nasty, cold, dreary, and dark. Basically, it just sucks! These are the days that make me melancholy and sad. I have read somewhere that once a man reaches the age of 40 his testosterone levels start to diminish and his estrogen levels start to increase. If this is true and with all deference to women it would explain an awful lot about me; I am turning into a woman. I have for the longest time enjoyed chick flicks, I like to cook and I have on occasion been known to get a pedicure. No wonder days like today make me sad. The next thing I will be doing is singing Karen Carpenter songs; “Hanging around, nothing to do but frown, rainy and”… well you get the idea.

Before I chase away the 3-4 readers of my blog I will try to write something that you may find of interest. Last week in Washington was a just an excellent trip for our fledgling foundation. Hugs for Brady was so well represented (see photo) and we did our very best to get the message out. Johnny, one of Brady’s “Special” friends, made the trip and it is just so great to see him doing so well. He’s a GREAT kid and just fun to be with.

So, getting back to some significant up-coming events; on Saturday April 23^rd we will be at Major Car Wash on Route 1 in North Brunswick, NJ accompanied to a special guest appearance of the Easter Bunny! Bring the kids, get your car washed and a photo with the Easter Bunny; it should be a fun-filled day.

Before I call it a night; one last event to mention. Saturday May 21^st the First Annual Hugs for Brady Twilight 5K & Family Fun Run will be held at South Brunswick High School. To register go to:
www.bestrace.com/SouthBrunswick/hugs_for_Brady_5K-2011.pdf
If you would like to become a sponsor please contact Jodi Brywka or Dave Brockman at hugsfor5k@gmail.com. I am planning on running the 5k and that in itself should be worthy of signing up. Ambulances will be standing by…

Well, I think it’s time to sign off, so until next time; hug the person you love, pray for the people who need it and think the thoughts your Mother would be proud of…

Rainy days really do get me down…