Kate McRae

"Twice as many children die from congenital heart defects each year than from all forms of childhood cancer combined, yet funding for pediatric cancer research is FIVE times higher than funding for CHD." -The Children's Heart Foundation

Wow...that's a hard one to swallow. It should be pretty easy for me to get upset about that statement, right?

Yes, it is CHD awareness week. Yes, there needs to be more publicity. Yes, research is grossly underfunded. Yes, its extremely hard to justify the inequality in that above remark.

But the bottom line is that no child should have to suffer. Not due to an imperfect heart, not from cancer, not from any other health condition.

I want to share a CaringBridge site for a little girl named Kate McRae that I have been following for a while now. At the age of 5 Kate was diagnosed with a very aggressive brain tumor and her family is in desperate need of prayers this week. Last Tuesday Kate (now 7) had an MRI that revealed some new spots and needless to say, they are devastated. I will tell you now, don't go to this site if you don't want to cry. Its a tear jerker, yet at the same time this little girl is so incredibly brave and inspiring.

Just a blurb from todays post....

"We deal with the conversations of cancer as they come up, trying not to make it the only thing we talk about with the kids. Again, we were talking and I tearfully told Kate if there were anyway I could fight this for her, take this on myself, bear her pain myself, I would. I would readily take cancer over seeing her have to battle it. In her deep desire and ability to love, she softly said, "oh no mom. I would never want you to have to fight this. I would much rather fight it myself than watch you." I am astounded at her maturity, and her deep love and compassion for others. It makes me unbelievably proud, and it hurts so unbelievably bad."

http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/mcraekate

Please pray for the McRae family and this incredible little girl.