Thank you for visiting my fundraising page.

Donating through this website is simple, fast and totally secure. It is also the most efficient way to support my fundraising efforts.

Nikki was born November 29, 1997. She was a happy and healthy little 3 year old girl when she became sick.  It was May 1st of 2001 when she showed symptoms of just a typical flu. By the next morning we were admitting her to the hospital. On May 11th, Nikki died from Hemolytic Uremic Syndrome caused by E'coli 0157. For a more in depth descripton of her 10 days in the hospital, a story is posted on the S.T.O.P website under victims stories. The day by day description of what Nikki went through those 10 days is strikingly similar to most all other E'coli 0157 victims stories. This illness caused by food poisening will ravage a child's body like a tornado. It gives no warning of its impending arrival and will leave victims families in utter shock and disbelief with intense grief. It has been 7 years now and I think of little Nikki every single day. She is forever 3 years old in my memory and in my heart. I now live a different but good life. It feels good and right to do something in Nikki's honor. I continue to feel the desire and need to do physical things for my daughter. This keeps me healthy. When I saw this opportunity with the S.T.O.P. Foundation, I knew instantly that this was another chance to honor my little girl and nothing feels better than that.  I would like to end this with an inspirational writing from the book "Consolation" by Mrs. Charles E. Cowman. I highly recommend this book for anyone suffering with grief. If you search Ebay weekly one will eventually show up.

                             From "Consolation" date December 3

O Mother! my heart breaks with your heart when your cradle is empty. But shall I call back the child? Nay; sooner pluck a star out of heaven than call back that child to this wintry blast.

Your child is in a spring-land.  She is in a summer world. She is with God. You have given her back to him who lent her to you.

Now the giving back is very hard. But you can not give back to God all that you received with your child. You can not give back  to God those springs of new and deeper affection which were awakened by the coming of this little one. You can not give back to God the experiences which you have had in dwelling with your darling. You can not give back to God the hours which, when you look upon them now, seem like one golden chain of linked happiness.

You are better, you are riper, you are richer, even in this hour of bereavement, than you were. God gave, and He has not taken away except in outward form. He holds, He keeps, He watches, He loves. You shall have again that which you have given back to Him only outwardly.

Meanwhile the key is in your hand, and it is not a black iron key: it is a golden key of faith, of hope and of love. This little child has taught you to follow it. There will not be a sunrise or a sunset when you will not in imagination go through the gate of heaven after it. There is no door so fast that a mother's love and a father's love will not open it, and follow a beloved child. And so, by its ministration, this child will guide you a thousand times into a realization of the great spirit-land, and into a faith of the invisible, which will make you as much larger as it makes you less dependent on the body, and more rich in the fruitage of the spirit.

Nicole Addie Westman

November 29, 1997--May 11, 2001

Many thanks for your support and please pass this website address on.