Meet the Angels!

First and foremost, AngelRide Connecticut is about the children. While we are looking to raise $250,000, we are also looking to raise the awareness of the incredibly stoic journey these young cancer victims make on their road to recovery. They often go through years of debilitating chemotherapy therapy that isolates them from the wonders of childhood and yet they manage to retain their incredible spirit and love of life. Brian Vaugh Lynn, Thanks for the note. Actually it means more to me than you can imagine. I feel very connected to the Angel Ride. It was a very special moment for me to be able to take part in the "ceremony" at the start of the day. I feel honored that you too felt it was special and would like me to be involved again. Of course, I would like to do it again. I feel pleased, happy and proud. I want to thank you too for all you have done, and do, to make this ride so special. I think the Angel Ride is more than a bike ride or charity. It is a 'spiritual Event.' What you, and others I'm sure, have created is a place where for a few days people, both riders and volunteers, can step out of ordinary reality and step into a special reality where 'Other' becomes more important than 'Self'. This is no small thing. If anything, this is what is lacking most in our time. This is Spirituality!!. This cannot be found in prepackaged Religions or Philosophies. It is something that must be spontaneous. You, Lynn, are responsible for some magic and healing in a world that needs to be able to climb out of the box once in a while and experience some fresh air. I have been thinking about Angela alot lately. You see I just started the latest Harry Potter book and find such a parallel between Harry and Angela. Both are Prophets. Yeh, for our time. Both have a job they didn't ask for and both get beaten up in this world. But it is by their suffering the rest of us are given strength and resolve to keep on keeping on. Most scriptures say something like we will be "guided by a child". Well, I feel like I am starting to sound like Billy Graham. I will close by saying Angela (and her wonderful family) are giving all of us involved with the Ride more than just a glimpse of what we are capable of if we can just spend a few days a year giving a bit of ourselves to Other. Angela "Angel" Uihlein is Middlesex County's Angel, and for whom the AngelSwim CT is named after. She is a sweet and kind eleven year old who loves all animals, particularly dolphins, the color purple, her older sister Kim and brother Jason and wants to be a veterinarian when she grows up. Angel was diagnosed with ALL in March of 2002 and has very recently relapsed. She is currently withstanding some heavy duty chemotherapy, with radiation and a bone marrow transplant to come. Despite her grueling protocol and all the difficulties that go along with treatment, she manages to smile sweetly and spends her concern on others rather than herself. Her birthday is October 12th but she'd love a card anytime. Hailey Mays (Santana) age 10 Is a New Britain girl diagnosed with ganglio neuroblastoma, a childhood cancer that normally strikes before age 5. She has undergone two months of specialized treatment in Boston and recent surgery was a 100% success! According to Kim Santana, the five cycles of chemotherapy her daughter has gone through are leading up to another surgery to try to remove the cancer. After Hailey has recovered from that, she will need to go to Boston for another round of chemotherapy and a stem-cell transplant. Mary Kelley is Litchfield's Angel. She is 5 years old with 3 younger siblings Tara and Mackenzie age 4 both with severe autism, and 20 month old Samuel. Mary was diagnosed with Acute Lymphoblatic Leukemia just a few days before Christmas of 2002. She is now 7 months into her treatments and doing well, although she has spent 3 of the 7 months in the hospital. This, however, has not dampened her spirits. Even when Mary is feeling her worst, she can still be found running and laughing, and entertaining the nurses and doctors at Connecticut Children's Medical Center. Mary loves mail, especially e-mail. Please visit her at: www.caringbridge.org/ct/marysgetwellpage. Karlee-Ann Poulin is age 5. She was diagnosed with Acute Lymphoblatic Leukemia in July of 1999. After more than two years of treatment, her ALL relapsed in August of 2001. She has a long road ahead of her. Karlee-Ann has an older brother Nicholas, loves purple, crafts, playing with friends, being around lots of people, computer, swimming lessons, and learning to ride her bike without training wheels and will be starting kindergarten in September. To learn more about Karlee-Ann and send her messages, visit her website; http://www.caringbridge.com/ct/karleeannpoulin Allie was diagnosed with Stage III T-Cell Lymphoblastic Lymphoma when she was six months old - extremely rare for infants, usually contracted in children 5 years old and up. She has endured over 18 months of intense chemotherapy and has tolerated the treatments reasonably well. However, the improvements in her Lymphoma were offset by the onset of Myelodisplasia about 1 year ago. For some time, it was planned to give her a bone-marrow transplant, but the efforts of the Oncology Staff at Connecticut Children's Hospital got her onto a Gleevic therapy program, which has made a miraculous improvement in her condition. She is doing quite well, and seems to be on the road to remission. She is the most engaging 2 year old you ever will meet - she has been through so much that is terrible, yet her cheerful personality and her willingness to try almost ANYTHING melts the hearts of all who come in contact with her. As a matter of fact, one of her SPECIAL fans is one Paul Newman! Apparently, when she attended the Hole in the Wall Gang camp this summer, she made QUITE an impression on Mr. Newman. It always amazes me how good natured all of the kids who suffer from these terrible diseases are! Perhaps their acceptance of their troubles and their positive outlook should be a lesson to us all More Information For specific questions and additional information contact: Lynn McCarthy - AngelRide Connecticut Coordinator Address: P.O. Box 1013 Old Lyme, CT 06371 Phone: 860-227-0658 Email: lynn@angelcharitabletrust.org