Day in and day out, children are diagnosed with cancer and are fighting through harsh treatments. They are forced to push themselves beyond their limitations simply to survive.  Their finish line may never seem near. They probably do not understand why cancer happened to them, or why their sense of “normal” has changed from playtime with friends to hospital treatments with doctors.

Week in and week out, members of Team Endure to Cure have made a choice to push themselves beyond their perceived limitations to reach the finish line of endurance events of all kinds.  They never ask why they are doing what they do because they know why: to create Small Miracles for children who are undergoing cancer treatment.  Team E2C member Mark Hanson of Greenfield, WI is no different.  He is a cancer survivor and avid mountain biker who dedicates his racing to help give children hope that they can beat their diagnosis just like he did.

Our most recent Small Miracle was created for Mac, a soft-spoken 7-yr-old boy who has been fighting a form of brain cancer (glioblastoma multiforme) since January of 2012.  Mac’s cancer was revealed soon after blurry vision, headaches, and vomiting sent him through a series of doctor’s visits. After an eye exam unveiled abnormal eye pressure, he got an MRI which revealed a three-inch tumor.  The next day he started his cancer fight and through it all, Mac has remained tough.

When our friends at Tufts Floating Hospital told us Mac was a big New England Patriots fan and that Wes Welker was one of his favorite players, we went to work to help bring some excitement to Mac and his family.  We coordinated a surprise visit to the hospital to present him with a Wes Welker autographed game ball.  Mac was speechless to the extent that we wondered if he believed it was real!  He spent some time checking it out in detail–staring at Wes’s signature, feeling the gold NFL logo stamped on the leather panel and placing his fingers on the laces; you could almost see him daydreaming about some day being out on the field. A few minutes later he was showing it to everyone around him.

While Mac’s excitement spoke for itself, this is what his mother had to say:

“Thank you so much for bringing Mac the autographed football today and for taking the time to meet with us and get to know Mac a bit.  As soon as we got home he made sure it was just right in the case and sat waiting for his brother to come home from school. As soon as he arrived, Mac ran to show him the football and told him about how you had given it to him at clinic. A similar scene played out when his dad arrived home from work. Unfortunately, I think over the last year Mac has gotten so used to hiding his emotions  because so often they are of fear and anxiety. So that little smile you saw him give today really says more than one would know.

Thank you again for taking your time to meet us, for the team members who are devoted to improving the lives of children battling cancer, and for giving Mac not only a football autographed by one of the Patriots greats, but for giving him a few minutes when he could forget about the port in his chest, the feeding tube in his stomach and the fact that each day he is battling for his life and for a few minutes be just like any other 7 year old boy holding a football signed by one of the men he watches on t.v. on Sundays.  We will forever be grateful!”

This Small Miracle was made possible by the fundraising effort of Mark Hanson, our Team Endure to Cure member who raised funds and competed in the Chequamegon Fat Tire Festival mountain bike race.  A very special thank you to Wes Welker, the New England Patriots, and to all of our selfless donors who contributed to our cause.  If you are interested in becoming somebody’s hero today, click here to learn more!