One of the worse things is cancer, even more so when it’s concerning children.
Jonathan and Shelby thought that their daughter, Sophie, who is two years old, was suffering from allergies. She was finding it hard to breathe and her doctor thought it might be asthma. Unfortunately, it was soon going to be evident that it was much worse!
The little girl, Sophie was set to have an allergy test a few day later, but she didn’t get to take that test.
One night she stopped breathing…
For every parent it’s a worse case scenario, Her parents ran to call an ambulance and within minutes they were on their way to the hospital.
It was just at that moment that doctors finally confirmed that Sophie had a condition that was much worse than just asthma or allergies. She had developed cancer, a T-cell lymphoma.
Sophie has since then spent many months in hospital having chemotherapy, even though fighting it hard the cancer spread.
The treatment affected her ability to talk, walk, use her hands to eat, her tiny body is going through the preparations for a stem cell operation.
Shelby is keeping a constant watch over her daughter and is by her side constantly. So many times Shelby forgets to take care of herself, it’s just the only thought she has, to get Sophie better!
Jonathan and Shelby have created a Facebook page to record Sophie’s fight against the disease, they want friends and family alike to have an easy method to see updates on how Sophie is getting along. The page is called Sophie The Brave.
It’s not just family that follows the page, there are over 12,000 people following Sophie’s fight.
There is one post on the page that has especially been welcomed. Moms with sick children will also relate, very likely, to what Shelby’s said.
Shelby wrote:
“I see you. I sit on this couch all day long and, I see you. You try so hard to be unnoticed by me and my child. I see your face drop a little when she sees you and cries. You try so many ways to ease her fears and win her over. I see you hesitate to stick her or pull bandaids off. You say ‘No owies’ and ‘I’m sorry’ more times in one day than most people say ‘thank you’..”
“I see all of those rubber bracelets on your arms and wrapped around your stethoscope, each one for a child that you’ve cared for and loved. I see you stroke her little bald head and tuck her covers around her tightly. I see you holding the crying mom that got bad news.I see you trying to chart on the computer while holding the baby whose mom can’t-or won’t be at the hospital with her.”
“You put aside what’s happening in your life for 12 hours straight to care for very sick and something’s dying children. You go into each room with a smile no matter what’s happening in there. You see Sophie’s name on the schedule and come to check on us even when she isn’t your patient. You call the doctor, blood bank, and pharmacy as many times as necessary to get my child what she needs in a timely manner. You check on me as often as you check on her. You sit and listen to me ramble for 10 minutes even though your phone is buzzing and your to do list is a mile long.
“I see you. We all see you. No amount of snack baskets or cards can fully express how appreciated you are. You are Jesus to us every single day. Our children wouldn’t get what they need without you. Moms like me wouldn’t feel sane or heard without you. You save our babies and we couldn’t do this without you.”
Shelby got 26,000 likes on her post, its easy to see and understand why, all the amazing people at the hospital, the nurses, all deserve to be thanked and recognized for their great work.
Let’s all hope and pray that Sophie makes a fast recovery, and as it happens the family got some really great news, Sophie’s cancer is almost all gone!
Let’s also share Shelby’s words about the nursery and hospital staff so that more and more people can hear about the amazing work they do.
Prince William and Princess Catherine are marking 14 years of love while visiting Scotland’s Isle of Mull on their wedding anniversary.
The ferry sliced through the calm, grey-blue waters, leaving a frothy wake behind it. On the deck, the wind whipped at their hair, carrying the scent of salt and distant heather. Prince William stood with his arm around Princess Catherine, both gazing towards the approaching green and rugged shores of the Isle of Mull. Fourteen years. It felt like a lifetime and a blink of an eye all at once.
They had chosen Mull for a quiet escape, a place far from the usual pomp and circumstance, to mark their wedding anniversary. A place where the wild beauty of Scotland could offer a backdrop to their own enduring connection.
As they disembarked and drove along winding coastal roads, the landscape unfolded like a tapestry of emerald hills, dramatic cliffs, and hidden coves. Sheep dotted the hillsides like scattered pebbles, and the air was filled with the cries of gulls.
Their destination was a secluded cottage overlooking a loch, a place of simple comfort and breathtaking views. That evening, as the setting sun painted the sky in hues of orange and purple, they walked hand-in-hand along the rocky shore.
“Remember that rain shower on our wedding day?” Catherine mused, a smile playing on her lips. “Everyone was so worried, but it felt… like a blessing.”
William squeezed her hand. “It did. And look at us now. Fourteen years, three wonderful children, countless adventures.”
They talked of their early days, the nervous excitement of their engagement, the joy of their wedding day, the overwhelming love they felt holding each of their babies for the first time. They spoke of challenges faced together, of moments of quiet strength found in each other, and of the shared purpose that guided their public lives.
Mull seemed to hold its breath around them, the silence broken only by the gentle lapping of the water and the distant call of a bird. It was a silence that allowed for reflection, for gratitude, for the quiet reaffirmation of a bond forged in public but deepened in private moments like these.
The next day, they hiked across windswept moors, the vastness of the landscape mirroring the depth of their journey together. They visited ancient standing stones, feeling the weight of history beneath their feet, and picnicked by a cascading waterfall, the sound a soothing symphony.
As their short escape drew to a close, they stood once more on the ferry deck, watching Mull recede into the distance. The island had offered them not just a beautiful setting, but a sanctuary, a space to simply be William and Catherine, a couple celebrating fourteen years of a love story that continued to unfold, strong and true, against the backdrop of their extraordinary lives. The journey ahead held its own unknowns, but looking at each other, they knew they would face it together, just as they always had.
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