CARINGBRIDGE...

Free, personalized websites that support and connect loved ones during critical illness, treatment and recovery.

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Good Morning, Everyone! Well, here we are at the end of what has been a very busy month for National Childhood Cancer Awareness Month. For almost three years, you have been reading my BLOG Posts mentioning a 501(c)3 non-profit organization that is so helpful to parents, family members and loving friends who care deeply about someone in their life who is facing treatment for critical illness. That organization is CaringBridge. Here is how CaringBridge came into existence.

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In 1997, founder Sona Mehring’s close friend suffered a life-threatening pregnancy. To keep family and friends informed about the critical situation, Sona and friends created a website."It was one of the first blogs. ... It was one of the first social networks," says Mehring.

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That website allowed family members to communicate information to a wide circle of people without disturbing the mother’s need for rest or placing additional demands on hospital staff. In a situation so similar to that of my best friend of 30 years, Baby Brighid was born almost three months premature weighing one pound. With her mother in critical condition, the one-pound preemie was quickly rushed to the Newborn Intensive Care Unit at Children’s Hospital in St. Paul, Minnesota. The family posted daily news about mom and Brighid on the website. An accompanying online Guestbook enabled visitors to send the family messages of love and encouragement. (This is the "Guestbook" I have passionately encouraged many of you to consider visiting with both Gunner Gillespie and Trevor Tredaway's CaringBridge sites for your comments).

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My best friend of 30 years faced this situation with the premature birth of his son at 6 months who also weighed one pound. Sadly, unlike my best friend's son, Brighid’s story does not have a happy ending. After a nine-day struggle against tremendous odds, she died in surgery. The website allowed the family to convey this saddest of news without the painful burden of several emotional phone calls. The parents also had a place to post a final message to honor Brighid and their supportive online community.

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Brighid’s passing prompted an outpouring of loving messages to the family. They immediately understood that other patients dealing with the birth of a premature baby, childhood cancer or other critical illness would benefit from the same web resources. So, a memorial fund, created in Brighid’s memory, enabled Children’s Hospital in St. Paul to dedicate a computer and Internet access for patients and families wishing to create their own online communities.

Here is what every free, personalized CaringBridge website includes:

• Patient care journal to update family and friends

• Guestbook for messages of love

• Photo gallery

• Free online support for using the service

"The jury is still out a little bit on whether social support helps you survive -- but it definitely helps you live better," said Dr. Charles Raison, an Assistant Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at Emory University School of Medicine in Atlanta, Georgia, He is also CNNhealth.com's mental health expert. He noted that while some studies show a survival benefit and others don't, almost all show an improvement in quality of life.

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"When people provide each other with support and encouragement -- that can make the difference in a person's life between...surrendering to hopelessness and ...finding the gumption to keep going," he said. Support networks can also be good for family members, who are at higher risk for depression during a crisis.

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"They help take the burden off the family," said Raison. "When you are deeply connected with a loved one who is going through something that is very difficult, it puts tremendous psychological stress on family members. So anything that helps a patient come to a more positive, hopeful place is almost certainly going to be good for the mental health of the family members that are also struggling with the illness.

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In the past 12 months alone, over 145,000 CaringBridge sites have been created, and in the last 12 months, over 30 million users and visitors have logged on. On a personal note, I was a Psychology major in college who went back and earned his degree in 1999. During the three years that I was busy going to night school after days spent at the office in broadcasting management, my Dad was coping with Parkinson's disease and I was one of his caregivers. I didn't know about CaringBridge back then, but knowing what I know today, I really and truly believe in CaringBridge because they are a means of achieving this process of positive healing.

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Currently, more than 30 million families depend on CaringBridge. As a 501(c)(3) charitable organization, they rely on generous people like you to ensure the service is available for families when they need it most. While funds are not provided directly to families, your gift helps those using the free service stay connected while they heal. If you feel moved to Honor or Memorialize anyone, here is their address:

CaringBridge
Donation Processing Center
P.O. Box 131447
Houston, Texas 77219-1447

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Your financial gift is tax–deductible to the full extent provided by law. Please consult your personal financial advisor regarding the deductability of your contribution. The CaringBridge Federal Tax Identification number is 42–1529394.

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Thank you for being so supportive to me during a challenging month. This one has come to a beautiful close for a very special reason: because it is for The Children. See you soon!
Michael