Can you help a family in need? Cancer strikes.

Families with twins are special.  And it can also be a little crazy (and fun) to have two babies born at once.  What if one (or both of those babies) are born with an extra special chromosome?  What happens then?  The family is spun into a whirl that they may not be prepared for.  Or the family may be prepared for the birth of their twins and know one is going to born with Down Syndrome.

But no family is prepared when CANCER strikes.

I want to tell you about a special family.  Their beautiful baby boys were born June 28, 2005.  Brandon and James were welcomed into their family.  Brandon was born with an extra chromosome.  On July 7, 2012, this wonderful family's world received a word that no family wants to hear.......   CANCER.  Brandon and family began fighting for Brandon's life.

And now my friends, this is where you come in.  Can you help support this family?  They need financial support.  Brandon's mom has set up a fund to make their fight a little easier.  Can you help with a financial donation, a prayer, or kind thought?

No family should have to face this horrible illness alone.

Help Brandon Fight Cancer

Organizer: Linda Blackwood

This fundraiser ends on October 29th, 2012

Beneficiary: Linda Blackwood

Won't you help us fight this battle with cancer? We would really appreciate your support!

Give now!

Brandon Blackwood is an amazing little boy. When doctors discovered that Brandon would be born with Down syndrome and severe hydrocephalus (water on the brain), doctors suggested that I terminate my pregnancy or choose "selective termination", so that his twin brother might survive. His father and I decided that was not an option and continued the pregnancy. The doctors continued to warn that even if Brandon was born alive he would not survive or would be severely mentally delayed and need to be fed through a tube. Two healthy, happy twin baby boys, Brandon and James, were born 4 weeks early on June 28, 2005. About a year later, Brandon received shunt placement surgery for his hydrocephalus and has not had a problem with it since. Brandon learned to eat, walk and talk and became quite the little character hugging almost everyone he meets. Our world came crashing down on July 7, 2012. A couple of days before Brandon became very lethargic, not wanting to wake up. We went to see his pediatrician and we were rushed by ambulance to Rainbow Babies and Children's Hospital. A shunt malfunction was suspected, but tests confirmed my worst fear, that he had leukemia (ALL). Since then it has been an endless cycle of hospital stays and visits. Brandon must endure chemotherapy, even though he is now in remission, for about 2 more years to make sure the cancer does not return. The biggest issue right now is that Brandon is not well enough to attend school or daycare so I have only been able to work a few days since this has happened. Bills are piling up and I am facing foreclosure. I have 2 other children and I want to keep all of us in our home. Brandon's father lost his job around the time he was diagnosed, so I am only receiving a tiny amount of child support. Won't you help us get through this difficult time?

Be gentle.