Kevin Klien - Going to the Top of the World for Kids

Kevin Klien is a popular radio DJ in Houston, Texas.  He has a passion for kids, especially kids fighting cancer.  This is just a part of his story, but I know this part first hand as we met Kevin.

Have to back up a couple of months, Jessica was contacted by a woman who told her she ran marathons for kids with cancer, she was part the Snowdrop Kids organization and each year she dedicates her runs/medals to a child fighting cancer.  Her name is Emma Louis Jeter.  This year Gatlin is her kid. 

Emma told Jessica she was running a marathon in Oregon for Gatlin.  She ran and she won a medal. Jessica is contacted again by Emma who wants to present Gatlin the medal she won.  She told us the Snowdrop Foundation was having an event at Gallery Furniture (Mattress Mack) in Houston and wanted to present the medal to Gatlin via live streaming on FaceBook.  It was an amazing event, I had no idea what Snowdrop was or what they did.  But, we soon found out.  That day at Gallery Furniture Emma indeed presented Gatlin with her medal in a live interview on FaceBook.  At the event was a guy running on a treadmill, we told about his upcoming adventure...he was training to run over 300 miles along the Alaskan  Delta Highway to raise awareness and funds for childhood cancer.  He would be carrying a backpack to the "top of the world" with over 1800 names of children who, are fighting, fought or survived childhood cancer.  Kevin told our Gatlin his name is on the list going to the "top of the world".  We are so very touched.

So Kevin is scheduled to start his 300 mile adventure November 2019 (I do not know exact date).  Last night I was reading about him and all that is entailed preparing for this race, there was a picture of a woman putting a huge stack of cards in Kevin's backpack, her son Caleb is in that stack of cards.  Later I found a FB page saying, "follow along with Kevin and his journey to the "top of the world"".  The organizer asked everyone to post a picture and brief message of the child whose name is going with Kevin.  I was reading the posts and became overwhelmed with emotion.  So many children have not made it through their cancer journey.  I have never been so sad or felt such grief in my life and for people I do not even know.  The beautiful faces with date of births and then date of deaths.  My heart has never felt so heavy.  I truly wanted to reach through the screen and hug each parent, grandparent, sibling, aunt, uncle etc...for each child!!

Kind of got ahead of myself, back to the event at Gallery Furniture...it was really fun!  They had six king size mattresses pushed together to form a huge "bounce" area for the kids!!  We even met Mattress Mack himself, owner of Gallery Furniture.  He is the sweetest man and does huge things for the Houston community. He is quite the celebrity in Houston.  The store is pretty cool, there are inspirational quotes/saying printed on all the walls, there is a glassed in area with live monkeys, yes monkeys!!  They are so active and fun to watch, we all enjoyed seeing them.

I just have to say there is a special place in heaven for people like Emma, Kevin and organization like Snowdrop Kids.  They are all heroes in my book. 

I will probably never do anything has huge as Keven or Emma, but I will continue to support the fundraising and awareness events for childhood cancer long after our Gatlin is healed. 

As hard as it is to say, because this leukemia diagnoses has been hell...we are among the lucky ones!!  Gatlin's leukemia is one of the most treatable types, he was diagnosed at the best age for survival.  His prognosis is good.  Yes, he's had challenges, high blood pressure, high live enzymes, nausea, fatigue, horrible side effects of steroids, but his prognosis is good the doctors say he is tolerating and responding to treatment well.

I will find away to help other families going through what we've been through, give support, make a meal, send a toy, clean a house, mow a lawn...nothing will ever be enough!!!

#teamgatlin #gatlinstrong

Keeping it real. 

Until next time...I have to write all this down in hopes to give Gatlin a glimpse of the love and support so many people have shown our family and him during his journey.