Memorable Images, A Night to Remember.

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a.  Coach Ellen Toy, Christa Harmotto, and the Kiski Area Team during our National Anthem.
b.  A favorite moment captured.  Mia Wilson gets a ride on Thad Paunovich's shoulders, as the team is introduced.  Mia is battling ALL leukemia, and was Kiski's Honorary Captain.
c.  Coach Toy readies the team for an emotional evening.
d.  A real champion.  Christa took the time to sign every autograph and take memorable pictures with her fans.  It was an honor for us to have her as part of our event!
Photo credits to Erica Hilliard and used with permission of Trib Total Media

A recap and thank you

Well, Jam the Gym 3 is now in the books!  What an evening!  Starting off with the spectacular array of gift baskets we were able to accumulate with the generousity of local fans, teams, and businesses.  We gave away nearly $20,000 dollars worth of merchandise, event tickets, and sports memorabilia! Many thanks to those who donated!  You made this night possible!
Our special guests made the night memorable for those in attendance.  Who will ever forget Bill Deasy's soulful "Hallelujia" dedicated to Jaime.  It will always be a song that takes us back to that night, and we will remember!  Having a local volleyball hero on the bench was a thrill for the Kiski team, as Christa Harmotto stayed on the sideline with them, cheering them on and coaching them up.
Christa's desire to be a part of Jam the Gym gave us a real shot in the arm, when we really needed it.  And none of us will ever forget little Mia Wilson's grand entrance on the shoulders of the Kiski team. Mia reminds us that we need to continue this fight, in Jaime's name.  Mia flashes the same million watt smile, despite her own battle with ALL leukemia.
On the volleyball end of things, we watched two good high school teams working out the kinks early in the season, and working through the emotion of the night.  In the end Butler prevailed, 26-24,
26-24, and 25-16, but in competing on this evening gained a real measure of respect and admiration for each other.  These two teams, along with the teams that joined them on the court for the National Anthem, Plum, Leechburg, and Kittanning, share the common experience of this night, and therefor a special bond that comes with it.  After the High School game, Point Park University took the court for a spirited two game exhibition of what small college volleyball aspires to be.  They joined with us in the emotion of the night, and then played their hearts out in the very first college volleyball played here at Kiski.  It was a privilege to be able to watch the caliber of volleyball that they possess.  PPU is going to be a National power at their level for years to come, and it is because along with their obvious athleticism, they have great character.  Jam the Gym was a night of great volleyball.  More importantly, it was a exhibition of how close knit our volleyball community is, and needs to be in    times of great trial.
So what is next?  Stay tuned here for the latest news!  We will be posting photos and video clips from the various news sources that covered our special evening.  Jam the Gym 3 is indeed a memory, a real good memory.
One more thing...
Stay JaimeStrong!!!

Jam the Gym 3 was successful in so many ways.  It gave a community the chance to gather and to mourn the loss of a dear friend, and then celebrate her amazing life.  It gave a

Art from photo to Tee Shirt!

I am just so proud of my daughter Aly, and what she did to convert the photograph of Jaime in her most couragous pose into the artwork used for Jam the Gym's and jammin' with Jaime's Tee shirt!  Here is what I mean...
You will be able to purchase the Tee Shirts at our event for $15.
All proceeds go to the three charities Jaime saw as most important.
Children's Hospital 9-B-C Oncology Dept.
Kiski Area Education Foundation Scholarship Program
The Fluorescent Angels fund

Breaking News!!!
Jam the Gym is proud to announce a very special guest!  Former Penn State Nittany Lion, and Olympic Silver medalist Christa Harmotto!!!  Come meet Christa on Sept 5th!  She will be serving as Honorary Captain!  Welcome Christa...

Here we are, a mere 6 days away.  I cannot believe that things have gone the way they have.  I am still struggling with the idea of a past tense.  Jam the Gym will never be the same, yet THIS one HAS to be the biggest, BEST one ever.  My friend Jaime deserves nothing less than a terrific night.  We are determined to give her just that.
To that end, we have developed a schedule of events for our evening.  With God's grace, and Jaime looking down on us, here is how we are planning for things to go.
    

     5:00-JV match-Kiski Area vs Butler
     5:00- Gym B open for purchase of tee shirts and tickets for 50/50 and prize baskets
     6:00-Please be seated for...
          Parade of teams
          Introduction of special guests, Christa Harmotto, Bill Deasy, and Mia Wilson!
          Comments from Family, Friends of Jaime
          Bill Deasy performs Hallelujah and The National Anthem
     6:15- Kiski vs Butler Varsity Match
          Gym B will remain open for purchases until the end of the High School match.
     8:00-Point Park will be playing a intersquad match.  This team is a nationally ranked program.  I  know  these ladies will be going hard.        
 During the College warm-up the 50/50 will be awarded along with the prize baskets.  Results of
          these drawings will be posted along the matted wall near the gyms exit.  Baskets can be picked up in
          the lobby after the match.

     All proceeds of this event go to three fine charites that Jaime wanted so badly to help.
          Children's Hospital 9B-C Oncology
          Kiski Area Education Foundation Scholarship Program
          The Fluorescent Angels Fund

     Please consider joining us for the Biggest, Best Jam the Gym yet.  It will be an emotional evening        we'll all get through it TOGETHER...

Jaime Strong




Last Monday, we learned of the passing of our dear, beautiful, friend Jaime Moran.  It was Jaime who inspired us to start Jam the Gym, it was Jaime who wanted to give back with Jam the Gym 2, and Jaime's imprint will be on Jam the Gym 3, and on into the future.  This news has left those of us lucky enough to have known and loved her with a giant hole in our hearts.  We will miss her fighting spirit and her brilliant smile.  We take comfort in the knowledge that Jaime's place in the Kingdom is assured, and we will meet her again, someday.
    With this news came the necessity for some changes in our events benefactors.  We will focus on those charities that Jaime felt were most important for us to help. 
1. Children's Hospital 9b- The ward where Jaime spent most of her adult time as a patient.  This ward, originally designed for mostly children, lacks some of the touches that young adults might need, should they relapse.  Jaime dreamed of changing that...
2. The Kiski Area Education Foundation Scholarship Program- Jaime LOVED being a coach and teacher, so naturally she wished to help out students who have been directly affected by cancer in their families(themselves, a parent, or sibling).  A scholarship will be set up in her name for this purpose.
3. The Fluorescent Angels Fund- From the beginning, Jam the Gym sought to ease the burden of cancer patients in our area.  This fund has and will continue to seek out those in need and help them, in some measure, financially.
 
The other events surrounding Jam the Gym remain.  A great High School match, with host Kiski Area welcoming the Butler Golden Tornado's and for the night capCollegiate volleyball comes to the Kiski Valley, as the Point Park Pioneers host the Seton Hill Griffins.  Between matches there will be games and a Chinese auctions with great prizes.  We will also take time to remember our coach and friend Jaime.  It promises to be a great night of volleyball and a chance for the community to reflect on Jaime's incredible life, her love of sports, and her importance to all of us.  God Bless Jaime Moran.

Jaime's Story




I am a 26 year old female currently battling ALL (Acute Lymphomic Leukemia) for the third time in my life. After each battle I had thought I won, five to six years passed of healthy living and freedom which allowed me to grow as a person in every way possible. I am looking forward to ending this battle once and for all. Here is my story:
At the beginning of my freshman year of high school, I was a typical high school freshman. I felt that my life was so complete; I felt that I was beginning to live the ‘high school dream’. My ideal world as best as I knew it was soon about to come crashing down. On February 2, 1999, I went to Children’s Hospital in Pittsburgh to have some blood tests done because my parents had noticed a change in my behavior: I was becoming very sluggish, I was tired all of the time, and I was beginning to form a collection of deep, dark purple bruises; all of which I attributed to playing basketball at the varsity level. My parents and I went into an examining room with the expectations to rule out all serious blood disorders. My parents and I were watching the movie Hoosiers as we patiently awaited the results of my bone marrow test; a procedure used to take bone marrow out of a person’s lower hip in order to determine how their blood is being produced. The time was roughly 5:00 p.m. when a team of physicians came into my room and told my parents and me the outcome. Dr. Wollman, the oncologist in charge of my case, told us that the bone marrow test showed signs of leukemia blasts in my T-cells which were a form of Leukemia, a cancer of the blood. This was the very first time in my entire life that I saw my father cry. ALL is unfamiliar to many people; ALL is a rapidly progressing disease that results in the accumulation of immature, functionless cells in the bone marrow and blood. The marrow often can no longer produce enough normal platelets, red blood cells and white blood cells. The lack of normal white blood cells impairs the body’s ability to fight infection. A shortage of platelets results in bruising easily and easy bleeding. My parents and I drove home from the doctor’s office in silence, I was numbed by the news of my illness and my parents were sobbing in the front seat, trying not to let me see their tears. Our car pulled up the driveway to our house, and all I could think about is telling my twin sister and my little brother this horrible news. My parents and I had to pack some bags that night, because the next day I was going to being admitted into Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh to start treatment. The next eleven months of my life were very difficult, yet they were some of the most influential moments of my life. The experiences I faced during these months became the foundations of how I still view life; these months showed me ‘what really matters’. My individualized treatment plan had three cycles. I stayed in the hospital for ten days when I was first diagnosed, and I was then an outpatient to the clinic that administers chemotherapy for the duration of my treatment; my mother took leave from her job in order to be my support system through every treatment. My first cycle was from February to the end of April, my second cycle was from the middle of June to July, and my third cycle was from November to December. Each cycle consisted of many different forms of chemotherapy; each form of chemotherapy came with a list of side effects, ranging from nausea and headaches to hair loss and muscle decomposition. I lost my hair, lost all of my muscle and was very sick at times. I also gained a significant amount of weight while I was taking steroids to protect my organs from the chemotherapy. The positive experiences I gained from this experience as a teenager outweigh each and every horrific side effect I experienced. The amount of support I received from my family, friends and community was astonishing to me. I received over 200 cards while I was in the hospital and throughout my first round of treatment. The faculty and students of my high school were very supportive. My teachers came into my home to teach me the lessons I missed because I was not allowed to go to school; high schools were breeding grounds for bacteria, and chemotherapy kills all of the cells in your body, the healthy cells and the cancerous cells, so being around crowds was out of the question. My classmates sent me get well wishes; my closest friends would visit me on a regular basis. I discovered these relationships are ‘what really mattered’ to me. As days turned into months, and months turned into chemotherapy cycles; I began to develop a new outlook on life. The relationships I had established with my friends grew into relationships that I cherished deeply. My family became my rock. I depended on my parents to keep me going. I was very gracious for every day I had with my family. My sister was my connection to the social world; my brother became one of my best friends, who watched movies with me on Friday nights when most teenagers my age were at the high school dances and basketball games. My faith had become the backbone of my success in beating leukemia. I prayed every night, not just for myself but for all people who were suffering, and I began to understand the different ways prayer could be answered. These 11 months of my life seemed like eternity at the time but before I knew it I was in remission, and back at school leading a normal life; playing sports, enjoying high school activities, dating, all while having a whole new outlook on life. I finished high school and I was able to obtain a basketball/academic scholarship to attend St. Vincent during the fall semester of 2002, all while remembering ‘what really mattered’ to me in life. Life as a college student was wonderful; college freshmen are given a new chapter in their lives filled with opportunity, education, and independence. I came into college as a student-athlete, rooming with my best friend; my sister, and was so excited to start fresh with people who did not know my past. My freshman year flew by, I was making lasting friendships, dating new people, taking classes, and playing college basketball. Balancing this ‘new life’ with the life I had known was difficult yet so vitally important to me. I was consumed by the fast pace of college having tough exams, a rigorous basketball schedule, and a fun social life. I went home one weekend spring semester ’04 and during my visit home my mother had noticed I was losing weight and thought this weight loss indicated something was wrong with me so she wanted me to go to the doctors to make sure everything was okay. I was the typical stubborn daughter, for the moment consumed in my college life, and told her I was fine. It had been five years since I was in remission and my doctor said once I was past the five year mark I would be considered ‘cured’, so the idea of relapsing had not entered my mind. During Easter break ’04 I began to feel fatigued; I accredited this to the tremendous work load I had to complete before returning to school. My mom kept reiterating her strong intuition that something was wrong, so I decided on the night before Easter to ask God a favor. I prayed that Saturday night and I asked God to give me a sign if something was wrong with me. I did not want a small sign; I wanted something big; something to slap me in the face. The next morning I woke up unable to move my legs. I was in such extreme pain I could not go to church or participate in our family traditions. From that moment on, I knew the leukemia was back; I did not tell my parents because I did not want to ruin the holiday for my family. My mom and sister took me to the doctor the next day, and the diagnosis was that I had relapsed. Immediately my doctor, Dr. Wollman, who I had established a wonderful relationship with the first round of cancer, admitted me to Children’s Hospital for my second battle with leukemia. My second battle was completely different than my first, yet one thing remained the same: the love and support from my family, my friends; both new and old, and the support of my new community, the faculty, my teammates and the students of Saint Vincent. The doctors explained to me two options to approach my treatment this time. One option I had to choose from was that I could go through intensive chemotherapy treatments for two years, having to drop out of Saint Vincent and take classes from home. The other option I had to choose from was to have a bone marrow transplant, and be out of school for one or two semesters. The bone marrow transplant (BMT), which was the quicker route, was the riskier route. The transplant either works or it fails, so I would either survive and be cancer free or die. Facing death at the mere age of twenty was overwhelming to say the least. After a lot of prayer, the support of my family, and the discovery of my sister being my identical twin, I chose the BMT. When a transplant is under consideration, the patient and his or her siblings are tested to determine each of the sibling’s tissue type or human leukocyte antigen (HLA) type. When Jodie and I were born, the doctor told my mother we were fraternal; it was not until the doctors tested my sister and my brother to see if either one had enough compatible HLA types, to match my HLA type, that Jodie and I found out we were identical. A syngeneic transplant is when the bone marrow donor is the identical twin of the bone marrow recipient. Syngeneic transplants are the easiest to manage as a recipient. My treatment plan for therapy in preparation for the actual transplant was three sets of rigorous, in-patient chemotherapy sessions. After the three in-patient rounds of chemotherapy, I was admitted into the hospital July 1st to receive a week of intensive radiation and chemotherapy in order to kill all cells in my body in preparation for the healthy bone marrow I was to receive. The risk of the BMT was if the bone marrow failed to graph in my body; I would not have an immune system to fight of infection. I was isolated to my room in the hospital from July 1st to August 13th in 2004. Isolation was depressing and lonely sometimes, yet being isolated for an extended period of time allowed me to re-find myself, almost as if I was on a retreat. I was allowed four visitors at a time; all who had to be very healthy. The people that visited me became my contacts to the outside world. My friends from high school and college came to visit, along with my extended family and my parents’ friends. My basketball team held a golf outing in my honor to help ease the financial burden place on my family from the BMT. My relationships with people that cared enough to visit me and my relationship with God are both reasons I am able to continue to share this story today. During my month long stay in the hospital everything went fairly smoothly. I had one serious reaction to a drug which put me into anaphylactic shock. As I left the hospital, the car ride from Children’s Hospital in Pittsburgh to my house was the most beautiful car ride I have ever taken. The clouds were extra fluffy that August afternoon and the blue skies were radiant. I had never seen such magnificent shades of green trees and beautiful arrangements of different wild flowers lining the high ways. These were the little things in life that to this day I take time to appreciate. As I walked into my house the plush carpeting on the floor softly greeted my feet. I was overwhelmed with the splendor of my home. My first homemade meal tasted like it came from heaven. Being in isolation had made me appreciate the little luxuries in life. My experiences with cancer for the second time reminded me how short life can be, and how we as people need to make the best of our lives. After the two successful battles, or so I thought, five more years had passed. I graduated from college, fell in love with the man of my dreams, Mark, and landed a teaching job and coaching job at my alma mater. It was now 2010 and life was perfect, I was planning my wedding, remodeling my house, and looking forward to a magnificent future. Then one night after coaching at an open gym for volleyball, I noticed deep bruises on my hipbones from an exercise I was showing the team how to perform. I went and showed my fiancé afterwards and he said I should get it checked out. I did not tell anyone I was going to the doctor except for him because I really thought I was overreacting. My parents were taking my brother back to school because he had just had his 2nd ACL/MCL surgery and I figured they shouldn’t be bothered with more to worry about. I was wrong…the Leukemia was back. It was almost like that day in February, 1999 hearing I had relapse again, only this time even harder because I had already had the bone marrow transplant option. After some discussing with family and close friends, including my newfound friendship in Ellen Toy, and praying; I decided I would remain at Children’s Hospital to go through this last battle of my life. I chose this path because of how comfortable my relationships with the doctors had become during the past 12 years of my life, and how I continue to relapse with a childhood cancer, not to mention the state of the art facility that was just renovated in Bloomfield, PA. Nonetheless, I am now battling cancer as an adult. My life experiences have taught me how to handle it as a child, a young adult, but for the first time ever there are more significant issues involved in my life, and I feel as it is harder almost to deal with as an adult. Mark and I had decided to move our wedding up because we wanted to be married before the next transplant. I married the love of my life, Mark Moran, on May 31, 2010. We have also rescheduled our original wedding plans to have a renewal of vows next July 16, 2011. All parties involved in our original wedding planning were extremely understanding and worked with us on rescheduling our date. Another issue of concern for me is that I now have the whole financial burden of medical bills as that did not exist to me while still on my parents insurance. It is truly amazing to see the affects a community can have on you for these hardships. I have received so many cards, and well wishes, prayers and I am so thankful again for how much people show concern. This round of treatments has been one of the most grueling that I have ever encountered. I have gone through 3 sets of chemo, each while staying in the hospital for about a month afterwards. I have experienced side effects from loss of hair, to meningitis, to staph infection, to mucositis, and several other unpleasantries. I received a bone marrow transplant from an unrelated donor from the National Bone Marrow Registry on August 27, 2010. Today, September 10, 2010, is Day 14 as I am writing my story. I am anxiously awaiting when the new bone marrow engrafts and my body begins to heal and recovery. As I wait, I hope. I hope with the love and support of my family and with the people that have been there for me since age 14 as I was battled this disease for the first time as a child. I hope with the help of my faith in God, which without I would not be strong. I hope with the help of my friends, some old, some new, because these are the people that keep you going. I hope with the help of my community and my work place. Their actions and extending a carrying hand is such a powerful thing. I hope that at the end of all of this, I am another success story and Ellen and I with our volleyball twist on the story can speak out and advocate to other women and cancer survivors that “you can do it too!” As part of the human race we can all strive to achieve perfection, but what good is perfection without having people to share it with. I believe the true meaning of life is to find comfort in the people around us and to help those people in need of help; my support system was with me when I needed them most support; I will be forever grateful for my family and my friends. My faith has grown tremendously throughout these experiences, and I am truly indebted to have such experiences that have allowed my faith to grow so strongly. I have met many wonderful people during my battles with Leukemia and I will cherish these relationships forever. My family has become very close through my experiences with cancer; I am very blessed to have such a supportive family. I believe everything happens for a reason, whether this reason is good or bad, and I believe that these battles I have faced made me a better person. I believe ‘what really matters’ in our lives are the everyday things we take for granted. I believe an important question we all must ask ourselves is not only “What do we value in life?”, but also, “Do I stop and take the time to notice the little things, the things that matter?” I hope the answer to this question is “yes, I do.”

History of Jam The Gym


This is year three for Jam the Gym, so it may be important to keep tabs on its history. On a Thursday Night in October 2009, on the way to the final volleyball game of the season at Franklin Regional, Head Coach Ellen Toy got the call all cancer patients will never forget. She had been diagnosed with Gastric Cancer. On board that bus along with the Kiski Area team, was Asst. Coach Jaime Moran. Jaime was a two time survivor of battles with Leukemia and immediately became one of Ellen's biggest supporters.
She helped Ellen get through that night, and in the weeks that followed organized fundraisers at both Pizza Hut and Dairy Queen. Jaime remembered how involved the community became during her battles, and felt it was her turn to pay it back. With Jaime's help(and her vast collection of hats!)Ellen began treatments. After surgery to remove 65% of her stomach, Ellen worked her way through treatments that included first Chemotherapy, then radiation, and then a combination of both. It was a very difficult regimen that left her 60lbs lighter at 95lbs! As tough as that was it couldn't prepare the girls for what was to come. Jaime took over open gyms during Ellen's treatments and in the spring of 2010 she started noticing deep bruising after exercising with the team. A week later, she received a third leukemia diagnosis. It was just too much for the close knit group around Kiski Area volleyball and the extended Cavalier athletic family. An idea was born. At the upcoming Relay for Life, we would gather as many family members, friends, former teammates, and former and current players and students of these two coaches. What resulted was the "Largest Single Team in Relay for Life history"! 650 members strong and known now as the Fluorescent Angels. The "Angels" raised $14,000 dollars for the American Cancer Society that night, but more than that ignited the movement that spawned "Jam the Gym". If we could do that for the Relay for Life, then what if we did something similar for Jaime. Almost as a gag, the term Jam the Gym 4 Jaime was floated. The more it was mentioned the more it gained steam. A volleyball match, with a ton of great prizes to give away, including a signed Sidney Crosby jersey! The atmosphere was electric. A crowd of 900 would witness a come from behind 5 set win vs section rival Penn Trafford and Jaime projected on the gym wall via two way Skype. Jam the Gym 4 Jaime raised $12,000 dollars to help defer some of the costs of Jaime's treatments, but again more than that started something even bigger. It was decided that Jam the Gym would be a yearly event. With Ellen on the mend and Jaime battling the side effects from her treatment course, Jam the Gym 2 would benefit three charities. They would include, The Mario Lemieux Foundation, the 9th Floor Child's Life Foundation at Children's Hospital, and the Cavalier Leadership Cancer fund(set up to provide financial help to teachers in treatment). Jam 2 also had great prizes and a competitive section match(Kiski beat Norwin 3-1) but that's only part of the story. $7,000 dollars were raised to be split between the three charities, and as good as that was, a template was being formed for the future of the event. Those involved in the Jam the Gym idea have always envisioned a future for this event that would help those suffering from the effects of cancer treatments, both financial and physical. With the strong participation of the Kiski Area student body, and in particular the Cavalier Leadership Council, it will be fitting that Jam the Gym 3 at least partially focus on students needs. Jam 3 will feature the first ever CLC Cancer Scholarship, awarded to a student who has directly been affected by cancer.(either themselves, a parent or sibling) Also benefiting will be The American Cancer Society, the organization that was so important in the Fluorescent Angels first year, and a fund set up for future community cancer needs. Jam the Gym 3 will also kick the volleyball up a level. This year Kiski Area will battle the Butler Golden Tornados, but after that match college volleyball will take the floor for the first time in Kiski Valley history! Kiski graduate and Head Coach Mike Bruno brings his squad from Point Park to do battle with the Seton Hill Griffins. It promises to be a great night of volleyball, fellowship, and fun. So there it is, the history and the future of Jam the Gym! Tim Toy

Ellen's Story By: Tim Toy



To tell the tale on how Ellen and Jaime's cancer stories converge we have to go back a few years. Ellen had just been named the new Head Volleyball coach at Kiski Area. She was holding one of her first open gyms and Jaime came in to express interest in helping out as an assistant. Jaime was fresh out of college and hoping to get a job in the district teaching math. We didn't know Jaime at the time but we knew her story very well. We knew that Jaime had battled leukemia in High school and again while she was a student at St. Vincent. We may have questioned how much volleyball Jaime knew, but the bottom line was this. If anyone can teach our athletes about courage and perseverance, it was Jaime. Little did we know at that time that it would be Ellen and I who would need the lesson.


Between then and now Jaime jumped in with both feet. She attended clinics and coached Junior Olympics and has become a fine volleyball coach. She also did get a job at the Kiski Area Intermediate School teaching math to 7th and 8th graders. Last year she even got to take on the Head Coaching duties while Ellen dealt with what was thought to be stomach ulcers. Ellen had been having some minor discomfort, and when she got sick from what we thought was a reaction to a flu shot it was time to get closer look. Tests were done and results were pending.

Then came the infamous "bus ride". The team was on its way to Franklin Regional for its last game of last season. Ellen's gastric doctor called with the bad news. Ellen had an gastric cancer. I have heard on many occasions when things like this happen that there is a sound, a deafening roaring in your ears, your world suddenly seems so chaotic and out of control . I remember feeling so far away when she called me, that it was impossible for me to get there quickly enough. I remember having to gather our kids, Aly,nineteen and Mason, fifteen, and give them the news. That was undoubtedly the hardest thing I have ever had to do as a parent. I remember that the half hour drive from Vandergrift to Franklin Regional seemed to take hours. When we arrived we found Ellen outside on a swing set. We talked and hugged and cried. I told Ellen that if she wanted me to gather her things I would take her home. Courage, that night, was Ellen saying no, I am putting myself back together and going in there to coach. I don't know if the players had any idea what was going on, but if they watched me they had to know something was wrong. The National anthem, made me cry so hard that I couldn't control it. The thought that we may never get to do this again was overwhelming. I really don't know how Ellen did it that night. I was a mess. We had a secret weapon there with us that night. I remember at one point Jaime hugging me, and saying very softly but very powerfully "this is going to be alright". Knowing where Jaime had been, I believed her.

Jaime had plenty of support during her battles with leukemia, and immediately went to work of helping us with fundraisers at both Pizza Hut and Dairy Queen. She said that she felt it was her responsibility to pay it forward for all the times she had received support from the community. It was just before another benefit held by the Leechburg teachers that we found out that Jaime's leukemia had returned. I was supposed to be the spokesperson for our family. Thank everyone for their efforts and put on a strong face. I didn't think I could read what I had written. I'm not sure I believed most of it anymore. It dealt in faith and I must admit that mine was shaken. Again, it was Jaime who steadied me and told me it was what I had to do, what people came to hear, and again, she was right.

While Ellen and Jaime's battles with cancer continue, I'm sure both would agree that the valuable friendships we have forged have been priceless. We have created a vast system of support for one and other that extends deeply into each others families and friends. It has been awesome to watch happen. It is Love by its very definition. I've never been one who believed to strongly in coincidence. I think that at this particular time we were all destined to be together like this. Two families drawing on each other for courage and faith. May God bless us all!

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