Tuesday, June 17, 2014

The Finish!!!


WOW can I just say that I am so happy with how this turned out....thanks to each and everyone who donated I am able to give a check over $700 to BOTH the relay and my oncologist for the kids....

Our local relay was held on June 13, and I was chosen to be the guest speaker.  We had wonderful weather at least it wasn't raining until we cleaned up...

That aside I feel that this experience has helped me to grow and learn that if you put your mind to something good things will follow.

Don't forget to check out the amazing adventures of Skullernia over at the Polka Dot Ranch  who knows you just might see your name mentioned....you never know where my next character will come from...

Much thanks and love to each of you...

Cole Bethel
AKA the polka dot kid...


I was suppose to give about a 5 minute speech well turns out
to be closer to 9 minutes but no one noticed and it must have
hit home with many as I received my first standing ovation!
VERY COOL!!!  my sister taped my speech so once its posted 
I will put up on my facebook along with my mom and dad I am sure will
link to it too.
Again thanks everyone!!!!

Tuesday, April 15, 2014

Start Up


WHO:  Cole Bethel  - age 13 - 7th grader

WHAT: 

I came up with the idea to put polka dots all over my families' barn and raise money for cancer research by selling the dots.  I talked to my dad about it he said "DO YOUR MOM'S CAR INSTEAD it will be seen more and raise more awareness for cancer."  So now I am, and you can help, spots are just $5 for the 3 inch and $10 for the 6 inch.


WHERE:

On my mom's blazer that she drives.



WHEN: 

From now until our Relay for Life  June 13, 2014 (20th year of being held in our community)

WHY: 

I am a 13 year survivor of Neuroblastoma cancer, yep that's right I was born with cancer. No child should go through what I went through in just a short 4 months of life.  Yes, I am cancer free but I live with the side effects everyday.
I have Horner's Syndrome, my eyes dilate differently.


I only sweat out one side of my body (Harlequin Syndrome) which makes me overheat when really warm or hard physical exercise.  It also makes my one side of my body feel the cold in winter more, I have to be very careful of frost bite. Another good link for information.

I also have Executive Dysfunction Disorder (in other word my brain does not file information correctly so I have trouble recalling some information while other things come very easy)

With all this I am happy that the cancer is gone but at the same time it would be nice to be able to live without these day to day challenges.  But then anyone who goes through cancer knows it makes you stronger!  So the little bumps I now face are easy compared to some of my friends going through treatments now.

That is why I started this - to give back to those who gave when I went through my cancer, the ones who funded research so that I could be a survivor.  I want to give others that same chance.  So with the money I raise I am giving 1/2 to Relay for Life and 1/2 to the Roger Maris Cancer Center (Dr. Nathan Kobrinsky) my amazing oncologist! I want the kids he treats to be able to play with games or books while they are waiting to receive treatments, I spent many hours in the doctor's office while going through followups and sometimes the video games would be in use, and being in treatments you can't be with others (because our white counts are low) so I want to gift to them a couple of game systems or even a couple of IPads.  So others going through treatments can have fun even when its not so fun.  Its also why I started my blog with my mom's help creating kids stories about the polka dot ranch.
Because of my learning challenge my mom and I when driving to school would make up these grand stories about this make believe ranch, and the strange happenings there, so I want to share these stories with kids fighting cancer so they know they are not alone, that someone has gone through what they are facing, that I can give them support along the way.  So take a look and become one of our flat farm friends.


Nathan Kobrinsky,

Nathan Kobrinsky

Nathan Kobrinsky