JOIN THE "KINDNESS....PASS IT ON" CRUSADE! FEEL GOOD ABOUT YOURSELF KNOWING YOU HELPED BRING A SMILE TO A FACE THAT HAS CRIED MANY TEARS!

150 PEOPLE GIVING $20.00 EACH EQUALS $3000.00!

PLEASE CONSIDER DONATING $20.00 TODAY AND THEN ASK OTHERS TO JOIN THE CRUSADE WITH YOU SIMPLY BY FORWARDING THE LINK TO OUR FUNDRAISING PAGE!  TOGETHER WE CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE ONE SMILE AT A TIME!

"How am I supposed to let him go?"

I will never forget the day I witnessed the sound of a mother's heart breaking. "How am I supposed to let him go?" she asked me, tears spilling from eyes that were like windows to her soul.   I sat there, speechless - unable to find a single word of encouragement or comfort or even false hope. Never have I experienced such an overwhelming feeling of helplessness as I did then.  It was a moment that would change something inside of me forever.

I can remember clearly, as if it were only yesterday, the first phone call that came with news that her sweet baby, 15-month old Collin, had been diagnosed with leukemia and that "punched-in-the-gut feeling" of fear followed by a huge sigh of relief when I learned that the cure rate for his type of leukemia (ALL) was very high. With the odds in his favor, I was able to believe he was going to be okay.   

I will never forget the five years of pain-filled phone calls and emails that would follow to update me on his roller coaster progress. It was a continuous cycle of "heartache followed by hope followed by heartache". I will never forget the bone marrow transplant he endured, the circle of friends and family joining hands in prayer at the very moment his "magic cells" entered his body. I will not forget that "punched-in-the-gut" feeling all over again with each relapse or the panic that I felt for him when leukemia cells were found in one of his testicles, which required surgery to remove it. The cycle of "heartache followed by hope followed by heartache" continued when a second surgery was needed to remove the other testicle when cancer was found there too.  I will not forget my heart breaking for him when it troubled him because he "looked different" from the other boys when they went to the restroom at school.  

I will never, ever forget the call that came to tell me he had relapsed a fifth and final time and that nothing more could be done. I will not forget the sound of heartbreak in the voice of his favorite super hero in all the world, Spiderman, when I called to ask if he could visit Collin one last time.  I will not forget the look in Collin's eyes on my last visit, nor the fact that I missed my only opportunity that night to hug him and kiss him and to tell him that I loved him. (I hope he is looking down from Heaven right now and can see that I do!)  I will remember forever that last day of his long journey with cancer - I did not even recognize his mother's voice at first - as she called to tell me Collin was gone.

Collin was only 6 years old.....his lifetime was spent battling cancer.....and his family has been changed forever without their "little buddy" to tuck in at night, to buckle into the back seat, or to sit with them as they watch a Spiderman movie over and over again.  It is the little, everyday things they miss most.  The feel of his kiss, the smell of his skin, the sound of his laughter - him singing his favorite song by Toby Keith, "I Wanna Talk About Me", or his unforgettable "Who Let the Dogs Out" performance.  These are things his family will long for the rest of their lives.  And unfortunately, they are not alone.  There are thousands more families who have experienced the loss of a child to cancer who miss those special moments of their own.

In spite of all the difficult days of Collin's life, there are many magical moments to remember as well, such as the surprise visit from Spiderman on the day he left the hospital following his bone marrow transplant. And then there was the day when I called his house and Collin answered the phone.  He was so happy because his daddy was helping him make a rainbow out of balloons (which explains the origin of our name, "Remember the Rainbows").

The day after Collin passed on October 26, 2003, I made a promise to his mom that I would make certain he would be remembered, and that what he went through would not be all for nothing. My husband, my kids, friends, family, co-workers, and even strangers, have helped me keep the promise that is so near and dear to my heart.  In memory of our courageous hero, Joe and I, along with three incredible women - Jennie, Sally & Fran - helped found Remember the Rainbows, an outreach program for Georgia families who have lost a child to cancer.

In an effort to help other grieving families "remember the rainbows" in their lives, we provide weekend retreats, an annual picnic, sports events and other fun-filled activities to encourage hope in a world without their child. We believe opportunities such as these are critical for a family's emotional well-being as they are given an opportunity to reconnect with one another through fun and laughter while spending time with other families who have suffered a similar loss.  All activities are offered at no cost to those who attend.

We now have 29 families enrolled from all across the state of Georgia - and we are growing!  Approximately 40-50 children die each year just from the hospitals in the Atlanta area, and we expect many of those families will reach out to us for help as the word spreads about our organization.  This is because the families who have attended absolutely love coming to the events - they consider us their second family now - and as they refer others to the program, we are in desparate need of more funding! So far, we've never had to turn anyone away and pray that we will never have to, which is why we are sending you this letter.  We need the support of caring individuals such as yourself to continue to offer such a valuable service to this underserved population of people.  We are always looking for volunteers, too, so if you'd like to help in that regard, please contact me at shelley@remembertherainbows.org

We've had amazing feedback - we've touched lives in ways that we never imagined.  We've found that many families who come to us have no one else to turn to and therefore, they are stuck in a world of no hope, no happiness. But it doesn't have to be that way!  Our family is honored to volunteer our time to make a difference in the lives of our community as we honor Collin's life in the process.

Please visit our web site at www.remembertherainbows.org to learn more about Collin, and how we are making a difference. The picture to the left is a picture Collin drew in August 2003. It is a portrait of his family.  Collin's mother was pregnant at the time, so she assumed the smaller figure surrounded by a circle of dots was Collin's unborn baby brother, Josh. Collin corrected her, saying the smaller figure was him - that he was watching them. He said Josh was the boy in the middle. It wasn't until after Collin passed and Stacy discovered the picture in his room that she suddenly realized what Collin was trying to tell her. Somehow, he must have known before anyone else that his time here on earth would be brief. I believe he was also saying that he wants them to be happy, and the he will always be with them.  Remember the Rainbows was built on this belief, and his drawing inspired our logo.  Our goal is to help families laugh again as they learn to live as a changed family.

We are on a mission to get 150 people to donate $20.00 each to reach our personal goal of $3000.00.  We hope that you will join our crusade and consider making a tax-deductible donation to Remember the Rainbows, a 100% volunteer run organization that has come to mean so much to our family. We could really use your help!

Donating through this website is simple, fast and totally secure. It is also the most efficient way to support Remember the Rainbows. You will be able to print a receipt documenting your tax deductible contribution. If you prefer to mail a check, simply send it to Remember the Rainbows, Inc., 1327 Willow Tree Drive, Woodstock GA 30188.

We would appreciate it so much if you would click on the link above ""Share This Page" and forward it to everyone on your contact list, asking them to help support this great cause as well.  Also, if you work for a company that has a "matching gifts program", by all means, please ask them to match your contribution!

Let's end the cycle with HOPE NOT HEARTACHE!
"heartache then hope then heartache, NOW HOPE!"

THANK YOU from the bottom of our hearts!

Joe and Shelley Mascitti & Family