Grief Into Action. This week's guest, Lori Brooks, along with her husband Ryan, joined by family members (and fellow Board Members), Craig Reis, Dennis Ruest and close friend Allison Andrade epitomize this sentiment.
When this beautiful boy was just 27 months old, rambunctious, curious and full of life, his sweet little sister just three weeks old - his parents found out the devastating, overwhelming news that Haven had Stage 4 High Risk Neuroblastoma. They rode a two year rollercoaster of aggressive treatments, hope and faith succumbing to relapse and devastation, culminating in a boy, once filled with energy, joy and humor, ending up in a coma for a month.
For this family, the auto-pilot, sleep-like state of just going along with the overwhelming directions of what the doctors were saying was deteriorating. The once silenced voice of the gut instinct Lori had since the beginning was demanding to be heard. Upon extensive research, they found a clinic in Kansas that utilized a nutritional, natural approach to combat cancer and were having amazing results with a Vitamin C IV Treatment.
The trip to Kansas shed light on a whole new view of fighting cancer and more importantly, a natural way, with no side affects, to give their beloved boy QUALITY OF LIFE. I chose to highlight this picture of him on the slide, taken in Kansas, because it shows his happiness and energy after receiving his first Vitamin C treatments - following weeks of being lethargic.
God sent for one of his heroes, Haven Henry Brooks on June 23, 2014, just a few weeks before his fifth birthday.
Haven's Healing Hands Foundation was founded on August 17, 2014 by Haven's Uncle, Craig Reis, with Haven's parents, Lori & Ryan, Uncle, Dennis Ruest, Lori's Best Friend, Allison Andrade and many other close family and friends serving on its board. The foundation's mission is to help children receive the Vitamin C IV Treatment and also spread awareness about parent's and patient's rights to have a voice and a choice in their cancer treatments.
CLICK HERE to listen to the podcast dated 2/4/2016
For more information on the 501(c)3 non-profit, Haven's Healing Hands Foundation - CLICK HERE for their Facebook Page and I will update this post with their website (when it is finished) as well as any other information.
Since coming back from Kansas, The Brooks family discovered a local clinic that provides the Vitamin C IV treatment. The Petteruti Center in Warwick, RI. Through the strong relationship between Haven's Healing Hands Foundation and The Petteruti Center, they have already begun to help children reap the wonderful benefits of this treatment.
What I personally find the most intriguing about the idea behind Vitamin C treatment is that there isn't a downside! Here is a quote that captures the most logic with me:
Vitamin C interacts with iron and other metals to create hydrogen peroxide. In high concentrations, hydrogen peroxide damages the DNA and mitochondria of cancer cells, shuts down their energy supply, and kills them outright. Best of all—and unlike virtually all conventional chemotherapy drugs that destroy cancer cells—it is selectively toxic. No matter how high the concentration, vitamin C does not harm healthy cells.
To support or get involved with Haven's Healing Hands, here's what they have coming up:
- April 16th - 6:00PM Comedy/Music/Portuguese Cuisine @ The Eagle Event Center, 35 N. Main St., Fall River, MA 02720. Tickets $30 available for purchase at St. Anne's Fraternity, 144 Guild St. Fall River, MA, or Call Lori Brooks (508) 951-1509
- March 3rd - 7:00PM FREE Truth About Cancer - Documentaries/Information 1st Thursday of each month @ St. Anne's Fraternity, 144 Guild St. Fall River, MA
- July 2016 (Date TBD) Golf Tournament for Haven's Healing Hands - Check Back Here or Haven's Healing Hands Facebook Page for more Information.
- September 20th - Wings for Haven - Sky Dive Newport - Check Back Here or Haven's Healing Hands Facebook Page for more Information.
CLICK HERE to sign the petition, Havens Voice for Choice on change.org
To Donate to Haven's Healing Hands Foundation, checks can be sent to PO Box 163, Fall River, MA 02724
Lori shared on the air that with all the advocating, posting and sharing she does online, she sometimes feels ignored. Help me assure her that this isn't true. Please comment below or on Facebook and let her know that she is being heard, Haven is being honored and most importantly, never forgotten.
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