The Empire State Building, which has lit the Manhattan skyline in the past to honor Gay Pride Week, Chinese New Year, and even the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, has refused requests to light up in honor of pediatric cancer awareness.
Stoddard put in a formal request with the Empire State Building asking to go gold for one night to raise awareness for pediatric cancer research.
But, the Empire State Building said no, simultaneously crushing Tony’s promise to son that his life would mean something. Other young cancer patient parents are now rallying around the Stoddards.
Most of the 260,000 drivers who zoom past on a typical weekday likely don’t realize the significance of the sign. “People are like, ‘Who’s Rosie?” said John Novak, 61, founder of Novak Construction.
“Then I tell them the story. I tell them there is a pretty sick little girl and we put it up for her.”
The megawatt gesture has meant a lot to the Colucci family.
“It gives me a lot of strength, just knowing people care and that they’re praying for her and they stand behind us in our fight,” said Rosie’s mom, JoAnne Colucci, 50.
“The sign is not just a sign,” she said. “It’s hope.”
The debate over compassionate use and “Right to Try” legislation.
The U.S. has a system meant to help: it’s called compassionate use and it’s a way for terminally ill or otherwise optionless patients to access experimental drugs outside of clinical trials. For a patient to receive a medicine on that basis, she must have the support of her physician, the consent of the Food and Drug Administration and a pharmaceutical company willing to supply the drug. That’s where the Trallers, and many others, have gotten stuck.
The types of cancers that develop in children are often different from the types that develop in adults. Childhood cancers are often the result of DNA changes in cells that take place very early in life, sometimes even before birth. Unlike many cancers in adults, childhood cancers are not strongly linked to lifestyle or environmental risk factors.
Bill and Kim McLeod have decided to participate in this years CureSearch Ultimate Hike (20 miles!) and are doing so in honor of our Alex and Alex’s Army! Please join us in wishing them all the best of luck in their journey and show your support in any way you can (leave encouraging messages, give a donation of any size, and/or sharing their page)! Together we are Alex’s Army!
