Sometimes, you get more than you'd ever expect...

A couple of months ago I wrote a brief post about my niece Yvonne. She is an 11-year-old superstar that is currently battling Hodgkin's Lymphoma. Well, since then a great number of things have happened. The outpouring of support from our community and from friends of Paddle Junkie Nation has been nothing short of amazing.

Shortly after her diagnosis, we set out to renovate Yvonne's bedroom. We wanted to create a space where she could be comfortable, happy and by herself if she wanted. (The girl has 4 sisters, alone time is rare). With the help of many many people, her room now looks like this....

Pretty snazzy...

I know, pretty sweet right? From ceiling to floor, pretty much everything is new (and either pink, black or white). Not only does it look like a bedroom any pre-teen girl would love, but it is a clean and safe refuge for her fragile little immune system. She loves it!

What came next was a huge surprise to me and a welcome addition to her homecoming from the hospital. Brands large and small were eager to reach out and sent Yvonne positive mojo and gifts that helped make her both comfortable and happy. Please support these brands, because when my favorite 11-year-old girl needed some support, they were there for her.

After the "Shock and Awe" of her new room settled a little bit, Yvonne noticed the pile of new stuff on her dresser. Her eyes were immediately drawn to the stack of shoes; flip-flops and super comfy sandals from Sanuk and adorable shoes from KEEN were an obvious hit. Coziness came in droves from Isis, Patagonia, Fits Socks, Icebreaker, Cocoon and Outdoor Research. And gear to make everyday life easier and more fun landed from Cool Gear, ENO Hammocks and Kelty.

In a time when this peanut had little to be happy about, this private sanctuary filled with new stuff made her smile from ear to ear. Thank you to all those that helped to make this happen...

Inspiration in a pint sized package... Yvonne, you are truly Amazing!

A quick update: Yvonne has endured three months of intensive chemo therapy, and IT"S WORKING!!! It's working so well that her doctors feel that they can even scale back on the intensity of the Chemo a bit. She will still receive treatments until December, but they should be a little less evil. Something Pookie is very happy to hear.

Thank you again to all that have given Yvonne support throughout this ordeal. She, and all of us that care about her, appreciate it more than we can express in words.

Much love!!!