an easy gift for Moms (and others)

Many of you know my Mom, who plays a huge part in my life despite our geographic separation of about a thousand miles. Mom has attended every Quilt Market with me, heavily influenced my decision to change careers and become a clothing designer (she was happy that I ended my Wall Street episode, I think--somehow parents just know when you're not a suit, heels and spreadsheet girl), and has been a supporter of her five daughters through all sorts of adventures. She's the most patient, soft-spoken person I know.

Tomorrow my Mom starts chemotherapy for breast cancer.

Fortunately, my Mom's cancer was caught early. The chemo is precautionary, following a successful lumpectomy, and we're fairly confident that her prognosis is good. Nonetheless, the anticipation of this episode in her life has been pretty hard on all of us. Two of her daughters will be getting married this spring and summer, and we want her to feel well enough to attend and enjoy the weddings. And it's just difficult to watch a parent suffer, no matter what the outcome. I can't even imagine what it's like for her right now.

In honor of my amazing Mom and what she's about to undergo, I have a favor to ask you.

There is a little boy here in New York (a schoolmate of the child of a friend of mine) who has just been diagnosed with a rare form of leukemia. Friends of this child's family have organized a bone marrow drive to search for a potential donor. Through this effort I recently learned that there is a national registry of potential bone marrow donors. All you need to do is request a donor kit, swab the inside of your cheek with a Q-tip, and you're entered into the list of potential life-saving donors for hundreds (thousands?) of other people in need of a transplant.

Here is a link to Hope for Kai, the little boy who needs a donor. May I request that you follow this link to the national donor registration site and request a kit? Of course financial donations are extremely helpful as well, so please do what you can. But that donor registry is haunting me. I can't think of a easier way to help someone else at little or no cost to yourself. The more people on the list, the better the chance of finding a donor.

So I'm spreading the word, in honor of little Kai and his Mom (and family--his Dad has cancer as well) and also to celebrate my amazing Mom. I encourage you to celebrate your Mom in this way as well.