About 3 Feet High and Fighting
In 2011, our family was rocked by our daughter's late-stage cancer diagnosis. She
was nineteen months old. An annual report from Children's Mercy, from 2015, describes
neuroblastoma as, "...one of our most difficult-to-cure childhood cancers." Dr. Alan
Gamis says, "To achieve that cure requires some of the most intensive therapy we
subject children to."
Laney beat the odds and was determined to be cancer free, in the fall of 2012. It wasn't until 2014 that we started participating in fundraising events, benefiting local and national childhood cancer charities. That spring we created our 3 Feet High and Fighting team for a walk event with a superhero theme. The name stuck, even as our own survivor outgrew the symbolism.
We raise money to support our local children's hospital, Children's Mercy, because so much of the work they do is supported through philanthropy. The research happening at Children's Mercy is directly contributing to better outcomes now and in the future. Survival and life expectancy have improved dramatically in recent decades, and we want these doctors and researchers to have all the tools they need to continue on that trajectory.
About Laney
She has always been a happy, wide-eyed, adventurer. We she was little we called her, "Crash," because she always went head first into everything. If you know kids, you know that when they want to do anything, they go full tilt until they run out of gas. Kids are resilient. Laney was no different. She had her moments when she had to slow down, but she never lost her sunny disposition.
Laney is an old soul. She likes to create. She's moved on from those elementary school watercolor sets. It's Posca paint pens now. We go through a lot of canvases, at least, more than the average household. She also likes to bake. In the last year, she made cakes for both parents, from scratch. She's into vinyl records and has an eclectic taste in music. She prefers graphic novels to chapter books. Put simply, she does her own thing, and kind of just goes with the flow.
Online Store
The online store is closed.
Our fundraising event ended October 5, 2022, at 11:59 p.m. Thanks to the generosity of our supporters, we raised almost $700! This has been one of our most successful fundraising efforts to date.
If you missed the fundraising event, you can donate directly to Children's Mercy hospital.
Paying it forward
We fundraise every year, in some form or another. This year is special, the ten-year
anniversary of her cancer free diagnosis. We were fortunate, some are not. We have an
obligation to do whatever we can to help others who find themselves in the same
situations.
Through fundraising, first and foremost we're raising money to help advance research. We're also raising awareness. As a society, we give to causes that share a personal connection. When you wear your 3 Feet High and Fighting hoodie, you may encounter others who have similar stories. Maybe you're more connected than you know!
At the end of the day, we're thankful for the generosity of others. As Laney continues
to survive and thrive, we remain grateful for the support of friends and family. We
share our story to help emphasize the need for support. At the same time, we hope her
story can provide some hope. Cancer is scary, but we won't give up without a fight.