Blaze endured aggressive chemotherapy and multiple surgeries. Tragically, he passed away at 13 months old.

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During this time, I was able to stay with my baby boy, to be a mom, and to sleep in the hospital bed with him nightly, not missing a precious moment with him. Blaze was never left alone; I was always by his side. I was able to be there for him. Unfortunately, this wasn’t the case for many parents. My community, family, and friends came together to ensure that my son and I had everything we needed, and I am forever grateful. Donations were made, fundraisers were held, and even jars collecting funds were placed on the counters of convenience stores throughout Sarasota. All of this was done to help meet our needs, organized and orchestrated by loving people—people just like you. It was the compassion, love, support, and prayers from others that gave me hope in my greatest time of need.

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While I was at the hospital, I saw other families desperately in need of hope. Not only were they struggling with the unexplainable sadness and pain, but they were also struggling to meet their personal financial responsibilities. These parents had to choose between caring for their child and paying their mortgage—a choice no parent should have to make. Families were torn apart because of these hard choices and the lack of resources to help them.