Day 4 Champions Week

Wednesday, September 19th!  What can one begin to say about this day!  We got to tour the White House, got to meet both the presidential dog and President Obama himself, and Delta provided a chartered flight to Orlando!   Oh, and did we mention that the President gave the kids' high fives and hugs!  If all that were not enough, when we arrived at Coronado Springs Resort in Disney, we were greeted by a massive reception, complete with red carpet exit off of the bus and entry into the resort (how does one ever forget a day like this!!)   We are posting a picture from the White House and of the Delta charter.  I hope others will post pictures as well, because it was just a spectacular day!

Day 3 Champions Week

The folks at Children's Miracle Network Hospitals gave us a free day to enjoy Washington on Tuesday, September 18th.  We chose to take a tour of the Bureau of Engraving and Printing to see how money is made and then to go to Arlington National Cemetery.   We visiting President Kennedy's gravesite and witnessed the changing of the guard at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.  This was incredibly powerful and the view (see picture) from Arlington House is spectacular. After a brief rest, we decided to eat dinner at Del Frisco's.   Once Tom Howard (an employee at Del Frisco's and supporter of CMNH) found out that Kyla was in town for Champion's Week, all kinds of wonderful things happened -- the highlight was free dessert, though Kyla's Dad and Mom thought that receiving a menu signed by the entire staff at Del Frisco's was the highlight! 

Day 2 Champions Week

On September 17 (Day 2), we woke up to join the other champion families for a wonderful welcome breakfast.  We were shocked to find out that Miss America and Mark Wills would be joining us for the whole week.  Mark started us out on an inspiring note with a beautiful song and then, we were off to the the US Capitol!  On the way to the Capitol, the President of the United States was flying into the South Lawn of the White House -- did you our friends at Children's Miracle Network Hospitals set that up?  I guess we'll never know!!   We had a photo shoot in front of the Capitol and then had a lunch at the Capitol, capped off by a visit with Senator Warner's staff and a tour of the Capitol.  If that weren't enough for one day, we ended the day with a private reception at the Air and Space Museum.  What a Day!

Champion's Week

Where does one start with the week of September 16 to 22?   Thank you to the official sponsors (I can't remember them all, but to name just a few --  Delta, Chico's-FAS, Wal*Mart, Disney, Duracell, Rite-Aid, Speedway and Marriott -- it was the trip of a lifetime!   We'd also like to thank the people at Del Frisco's in Washington DC -- you treated us so special at dinner and we will never forget that!  Ok, this is the first of several posts, because there is just so much to say.  Our week began in Washington DC on Sunday, September 16 with a warm welcome reception.  Kyla got to meet pilots from Delta Airlines, the title sponsor for our week - nothing quite as exciting then to meet some real life pilots!

Dairy Queen supports CMN Hospitals

Today, July 26, Dairy Queens from around the country are doing a fundraising drive -- for each Blizzard sold, participating DQs are making a contribution to CMN Hospitals.   This is incredibly generous.  Today, our family visited one of the local participating DQs.  The owner and employees of the Richmond, Virginia store on Parham Road were incredibly kind and generous, as were employees representing Dairy Queen Virginia Corporate headquarters.   We took the time to tell everyone about Kyla's medical journey and Kyla told them about the importance of CMN hospitals and how they are unique and different from traditional hospitals with some pediatric care.  And, Kyla got to help make her own Blizzard!

Lemon-Aid!!

Today was the kick off celebration for the Anthem "Lemon-Aid" event.  From Friday, July 20 through Sunday, July 22, people all over the Richmond area will be hosting lemonade stands with all proceeds going to pediatric cancer research at our local CMN hospital -- Richmond Children's Hospital.   Kyla participated in the kick off, at which local radio and television helped bring attention to this wonderful event.  

Kyla and CMN Hospitals Supporters in local paper

We were thrilled to see that Kyla and CMN Hospitals supporters were featured in our local paper.  The story is below:


Hanover girl featured on special Kellogg’s boxes Published: July 05, 2012

 

Photo submitted by Matt Brady
Kyla Roerty of Hanover County autographed boxes of Frosted Flakes with Tony the Tiger for guests at the Children’s Miracle Network Hospital’s Kellogg’s Frosted Flakes, Pop-Tarts and Cheez-It boxes event.

Contributed Report
news@mechlocal.com

Food Lion stores are exclusively carrying specially-designed Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals® Kellogg’s Frosted Flakes®, Pop-Tarts® and Cheez-It® boxes.

Kyla Roerty of Hanover County joined Tony the Tiger in unveiling the packages and signing autographs.

Kellogg is donating $1 to Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals for every four boxes sold, up to $50,000.

Kyla, who is being treated at Children’s Hospital of Richmond at VCU, joins four other patients selected for the event.

She battles cerebral palsy and was treated at Children’s Hospital of Richmond at VCU in Richmond.

The other children are being treated for: leukemia at Children’s National Medical Center in Washington, D.C.; a rare blood disorder at Vidant Children’s Hospital in Greenville, N.C.; a heart defect at The Johns Hopkins Children’s Center in Baltimore, Md.; and leukemia at Palmetto Health Children’s Hospital in Columbia, S.C.

“These inspiring pediatric patients are just five of the 17 million kids treated at Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals each year,” said John Lauck, president and CEO, Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals. “We are so pleased that Food Lion and Kellogg Company are working together to help share the message that children’s hospitals rely on community support and to raise much-needed funds that will benefit millions of kids.”