HOPE FOR JORDYN

2010-05-11T07:35:00.003-04:00

Post from Carepages, May 7, 2010
(Written by Jordyn's mother, Tracey)

Home Sweet Home

Jordyn is finally "Home Sweet Home!" Wow....time flies! We have been home...back to St Jude this week....and just got home again last evening. I apologize for not posting sooner but as you can imagine we have just been enjoying our surroundings here at home with our family. We did not post or publish our return as Jordyn and I just wanted to make a quiet entrance home with our immediate family since it had been so long since seeing them all. What a 'Sweet' day it was!

Jordyn is doing so well with her recovery process.....I couldn't ask for anything more. To have a doctor look you in the eye and say "what a miracle she is" is an out of this world undescribable feeling!

Lots of recovery still to be had but with the determination & strength Jordyn has shown us, it gives us the hope to look at it all with positive thoughts, energy and faith stronger than ever!
Jordyn and I will be having to return to St Jude every other week which will keep life still hectic and crazy busy. We will be home one week and in Tennessee one week. But no complaints here because WE ARE HOME SWEET HOME in between!! Life is Good!!

2010-05-11T07:29:00.002-04:00

Post from Carepages, April 17, 2010
(Written by Jordyn's mother, Tracey)

Our 100 day Results

Life is a gift.....and for Jordyn a gift of life she was given once again! Our 100 day results are in and Jordyn's cancer remains in remission as her bone marrow shows no signs of disease!!
As you can imagine many many emotions run through all of us....emotions that are truly unexplainable!

Like I've stated before.....Prayer is Powerful! I know so many many people have spent much time praying and really asking for a miracle. A miracle is what has been given. For that my Thanks goes to the Higher One......everyday I promise to never forget what He has given me in Jordyn's situation and/or in my life. God is Good!

Although what I truly want to hear and know is that this cancer is gone.....gone forever. I want to hear that her body will withstain all the poisons that have been placed in her body. I want to know so much more but reality is that we don't know what the future holds for any of us. So I have to let go of the unknown and stay focused on each day as it comes with positive thoughts and energy! And thru all of this....gratitude is the way to bring more into our lives! So if this is the cure for a month, a year, a few years or the cure for her to grow old in life.....I truly am grateful!!

2010-04-11T10:42:00.003-04:00

Post from Carepages, April 11, 2010
(Written by Jordyn's mother, Tracey)

Day +100

Today is Day +100 for Jordyn in the transplant world! On Monday Jordyn will have her bone marrow aspiration procedure to test her marrow after a good 100 days out from transplant. Depending on her results from the test we will finally find out when we will arrive back into the state of New Hampshire! Both her and I are very anxious and overwhelmingly excited. It has been quite an addition to JordynzJourney here at St Judes...that's for sure!! Jordyn has shown us all so much the meaning of hope....strength.....determination......love.....compassion.....and most of all, she has drawn so many of us closer by understanding the true knowledge and meaning of life and how cherished it should be each and everyday!

Overall Jordyn has been doing outstanding. Her labs have all been wonderful. Each day she gains a little more strength. While each day she rides a bike a little longer and climbs a little higher on the playground. We are so proud of her eating most of all. She finally came off her tube feedings as of a few weeks ago. That was a milestone for her for sure. She went almost 5 months without eating a stitch of normal food. We are so proud of her for all her strong will to have come so far. She is amazing in every way possible!

Again, we can't say it enough.......My family THANKS everyone for all the overwhelming support, love, and prayers that have surrounded us and continues to surround us!

Jordyn's Ride

2010-03-19T20:07:00.002-04:00

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Plans are being made for the annual "Jordyn's Ride" benefit to be held this year on May 8. There is a website (http://www.jordynsride.com ) for anyone interested in participating. Thank you!
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2010-03-09T16:05:00.005-05:00

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Hope for Jordyn magnets are in and available for $5 each. They are 4 inch circles and include a picture of Jordyn's "one leaf flower" along with three words, Faith, Love and Hope (Scroll down to see a picture and information how to order.) Thank you!
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2010-03-09T15:59:00.002-05:00

Post from Carepages March 4, 2010
(Written by Jordyn's mother, Tracey)

Day +63

Wow...I didn't realize it has been quite a while since my last update and I apologize. They have kept us very busy which is a good thing for time to pass us by. On my last post I mentioned that Jordyn had gone back into the hospital but she was blessed and able to be discharged on Valentines Day. We enjoyed being eachothers Valentine and I even made her favorite meal for the two of us....chicken on the bone!! ha ha

Since being back on the outpatient side of things we have been busy shuttling back and forth from Target House to Hospital up until last week. Jordyn came down with yet another little virus that has landed her into isolation. The good thing is that we were able to stay out of the hospital but the down side is that we did have to leave the Target House and be put into an isolation room at the Grizzly House right on campus. We decided we do not enjoy isolation much at all! She is not allowed on shuttles, which is good for me...get exercise and have to hoof it around campus, nor is she allowed anywhere in the hospital. To get in we have our very own entrance, which I told her is because she is a celebrity and we have to sneak in. Upon entering we have to gown and glove up and then be escorted right into an isolation room at hospital. Crazy but a safe and good procedure to protect the other children. We are in hopes of coming out of isolation by next week. Other than that she was having severe headaches the past few weeks. She had a few extra tests...MRI, MRA, Lumbar Puntures, and eye doc appointments. All have confirmed that she had a some extra fluid in her spinal column, behind her eyes, and in her brain cavity. She has been put on medication to drain the swelling which has worked great and alleviated the pain she was having. The downside is we do not know what is causing the swelling as of yet. We had our MRA today so hopefully we will be able to get to the bottom of it soon.

By the grace of God her blood work continues to be 100% donor cells. We have been celebrating her 9th birthday for the past couple weeks even though on a normal basis one would celebrate in only one day! Not Jordyn!! We do have to thank all of you for all your wonderful birthday wishes and a slew of cards! She loved them for sure!! For me..I give special thanks every night to God for giving me the miracle to be able to celebrate my daughters 9th birthday. Children are a gift and forever will I give thanks to Him for my blessings!

New! Hope for Jordyn Magnets...

2010-02-09T09:54:00.004-05:00

This magnet was designed based on Jordyn's trademark "one leaf flower" drawings. Often when she came home from school, her school papers would have these "one leaf flowers" painted or colored on her work. Three words were incorporated that have guided the family through their fight- Faith, Love, Hope. The result is beautiful!

The magnets are round (4" diameter) and are $5 each. Half the money raised helps Jordyn's family with their ever-increasing costs incurred during this process, and the other half will go to families on the NH Seacoast with children who are also battling cancer.

If you would like to purchase these magnets, please send a note including how many you would like with payment to:

Robin Chalifour
19 Sloper Road
Strafford, NH 03884
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Questions? Email me.
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2010-02-08T08:58:00.004-05:00

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Zachary Tiernan is a 5-year-old Rochester, NH boy who has recently relapsed with Leukemia. Jordyn played with Zachary at Yahoo Weekend and their families have met. He is currently at Boston Children's Hospital. This Wednesday (February 10) a bone marrow drive is being held in honor of Zachary at his school in South Berwick, ME. Many people have inquired about how to become part of the Bone Marrow registry......here's your chance- attend Zachary's drive. There is no cost and a simple cheek swab is taken.
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Article including details on the bone marrow drive
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Article about Zachary
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2010-02-01T12:24:00.005-05:00

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Post from Carepages January 28, 2010
(Written by Jordyn's mother, Tracey)

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Inspire

Jordyn continues to inspire each and every one of us everyday with her courage, strength, determination and bravery through her journey. Her family and I are extremely happy to announce that her docs are overjoyed with how well Jordyn has been doing since transplant that they discharged Jordyn from the hospital to the Target House. Her blood work labs have improved significantly over the past few days that has made us all very excited. Her and I will be staying at the Target House which is small apartments provided by St Jude to families that will be needing to stay close to the hospital after discharge for more than a few months and beyond. Of course because of the continued constant care we will be shuttled back and forth daily for all her outpatient appts, med infusions, lab work, etc. Today we are day +28 days from transplant and if she continues to do as well as she has, they will consider letting her go back home after day +100. So we look forward to being home around April/May. Just in time for the spring season! The season where everything comes back to life!

Together all your prayers are working in unbelievable and amazing ways! We sill do not take one day for granted and know that each additional day is a blessing and each additional day still needs prayers for her road to recovery. Jordyn has a milestone to reach and each day brings us that much closer. And certainly each day she continues to show and give us all true inspiration.

Our local newspaper journalist that has followed Jordyn's story, Adam Leech, is wanting to write an article about how much Jordyn has inspired people in our community. For those of you that have a story to tell about the inspiration you have experienced please contact Adam via email aleech@seacoastonline.com or give him a call at (603)570-2234 This means a lot to us. We want to be able to show just how much Jordyn means to people!
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2010-01-26T20:18:00.002-05:00

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Jordyn's Auntie Amanda is running a Marathon in San Diego in honor of Jordyn and her fight. She needs to raise $2900 for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society in order to participate. If you would like to help her, please go to her fundraising page to learn more.
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2010-01-16T18:16:00.003-05:00

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If you go to the St. Jude website you will see Jordyn on the front with Carrie Underwood! If you click on the article and scroll down a little to the Carrie Underwood video you will see her again (and a glimpse of Tracey)!
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2010-01-16T18:10:00.002-05:00

Post from Carepages January 15, 2010
(Written by Jordyn's mother, Tracey)

Miracle in the Making

To accomplish things that seem impossible you must not only act on them but also dream, believe and hold onto hope like never before!!

Today Jordyn had a bone marrow aspiration here at St Jude that gave us news that proves there is a "Miracle in the Making". Jordyn's marrow is 100% donor cells(Her father, Brian's cells) and that there were no leukemia blast in her marrow! We held onto HOPE which is truly a feeling that what is wanted CAN BE HAD! Prayers are powerful and it stands true that through God NOTHING is IMPOSSIBLE!

Jordyn has been and always will be a remarkable and incredible fighter! Her fight has been long and to still have the strength she does is amazingly crazy!

I won't be ignorant to the recovery road that still lies ahead of us. We now hold onto hope for all her organs to withstand all the poison that has been placed in this little body...we also hold onto hope that her body will not reject her new cells once we wean off immune suppressant meds. It is one that will be long, but one that we can travel down with so much confidence and even MORE HOPE. One that I have to find the proper balance between optimism and reality that faces this journey. But today I give thanks to God for listening to so many praying hands.

2010-01-05T00:29:00.003-05:00

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I just want to clarify, because the question has come up so often, that Jordyn received a stem cell transplant on December 31st. Ihave been told that this is a different procedure from a bone marrow transplant, which as many of you know, she received in 2005.
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We are praying that her body accepts these new cells and that they engraft so that she can begin to heal and become strong again. This is a critical time period, and we ask for all prayers and hopes for success to be sent her way.
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Post from Carepages, December 31, 2009

2009-12-31T14:41:00.005-05:00

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Transplant Day
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The past couple weeks we have been here in Memphis at St Jude's preparing and conditioning Jordyn's body for her transplant. Today is the day! Jordyn will receive her dad's cells today in hopes of a new life for a new year! As you all know by now we decided to take a leap of faith and come to St Jude's for that miracle that Jordyn so much deserves. The next week or two will be intense as we sit and wait for her body to engraft her new cells. Together we pray and hold onto hope like never before and most importantly we trust that God knows what is best. I would never change this life for anything. I truly feel blessed in that my family has seen life in a different lens that many never get to see. Life is fragile, life is short, and life is precious!
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To my daughter Jordyn- I am so proud of the fight you have given us all for so many years. You truly inspire so many people in so many ways. Keep fighting baby and as I watch you fight the fight of your life once again....please know that you have already WON! You are a winner! We all love you so much and no matter what TOMORROW IS A BETTER DAY!
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2009-12-26T19:52:00.000-05:00

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Christmas Wishes from Sonny and Tracey here.
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2009-12-24T10:09:00.003-05:00

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Just wanted to let everyone know that Jordyn is doing pretty well at St. Jude's. They are getting her ready for transplant, which is a process that takes several days. They plan to do the transplant around the first. Her family is with her in the hospital and they are all happy to be together.
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Merry Christmas!
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2009-12-20T10:17:00.003-05:00

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There are two articles in the Portsmouth Herald today inspired by/about Jordyn's battle with cancer.
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http://www.seacoastonline.com/articles/20091220-NEWS-912200329
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http://www.seacoastonline.com/articles/20091220-NEWS-912200333
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2009-12-15T22:58:00.004-05:00

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Jordyn has gone to St. Jude Children's Research Hospital in Memphis, Tennessee. This was a pretty sudden event and it all happened in a 24 hour period (from the time it was decided to the time she was physically in Memphis). The doctors will meet with Tracey and Brian on Wednesday to discuss Jordyn's protocol. Normally I don't post on medical affairs, however we just wanted to let people know what is going on. When/if Tracey is able to post on Carepages, I will copy that post to this site as well.
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2009-12-14T08:15:00.003-05:00

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We are in search of people who attended the bone marrow drives in 2006, inspired by Jordyn's story, who have since been contacted to be a bone marrow or stem cell donor. I sent out an email to people who I had addresses for, who I was in contact with around the time of the drives. However many of them were returned as no longer valid addresses. If you are, or know someone, who became a donor, please email me. You can remain anonymous if you wish. We want to get a count of how many lives have potentially been saved that were inspired by Jordyn.
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Thank you!
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2009-12-08T09:21:00.003-05:00

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Read Tracey's December 7th post here.
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2009-12-03T11:01:00.004-05:00

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Read Tracey's November 26 post here.
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Read Tracey's November 20 post here.
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2009-11-20T10:23:00.004-05:00

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Cooking

Some of you have asked about cooking for Jordyn and her family as a way of helping out. If you are still interested in doing this, please email me. There is a list of things that Jordyn cannot eat, though some meals will be needed for the rest of the family when Jordyn is at clinic. Please note, you must be able to drop off the food at their home in Brentwood. Thank you!.
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2009-11-09T20:10:00.006-05:00

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BFF Bake Sale for Jordyn

Jordyn's friend Kaly is holding a bake sale and lemonade stand in honor of Jordyn. Please join her efforts this weekend!

Where: Screamers Cafe in Stratham, NH

When: Saturday November 14, 2009 from 11am to 1pm

(All proceeds go to Jordyn and her family)

2009-11-07T19:29:00.002-05:00

2009-11-07T08:44:00.005-05:00

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We are on for noon!
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2009-11-06T15:09:00.003-05:00

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As of right now (3:10 pm Friday) we are still planning for Jordyn's arrival Saturday at noon.

Lots of people have told me they have made signs and Jordyn will surely love them all. I want to put together a book for Jordyn. If you bring a camera tomorrow and take pictures, please email them to me! If you can't make it tomorrow, and just want to make a sign and hold it at your own house to show support, email me that too. Or email me pictures of you and your family wearing your Hope4Jordyn wristbands. The book will give Jordyn and her family something to look at and remember how much they are loved long after the welcome home is over.

See you all Saturday.
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Plans for "Welcome Home Jordyn!"

2009-11-04T21:47:00.010-05:00

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First thank you all for continually checking in. As of right now all indications are that Jordyn will arrive home on Saturday, November 7 at around noon. Please understand that there is a chance that this time and day could change and you should check back here often, right up until Saturday to confirm. That being said, here are some details:

First and foremost, our common goal here is to welcome Jordyn to her own home in a BIG way. Please understand this is a total grassroots effort, on behalf of Jordyn's friends and family and strangers who have followed her story through the years. We have tried to make arrangements for some parking and we will make every effort to pass on information via this website that we can, but the main point here is to **Get yourself to Jordyn's home so you are there when she arrives**.

Some basics:

- The address of Jordyn's house is 342 South Road in Brentwood, NH.

- Please find a place to park (see below for recommendations) and walk to the house.

- All welcomers may stand on the lawn, the sides of the driveway, etc.

- There will be an area that is "off limits" near the house where Jordyn will get out of the limo. We must ask that ABSOLUTELY NO ONE approach Jordyn. She is off limits to everyone, including family. Of course we wish it was not that way, but her immune system is so vulnerable at this time we can not risk it.

- We are hoping that Jordyn will get out of the limo, go into the house and then come out onto the porch and give us a wave. Cheer for her! Treat her like the princess that she is!

Many, MANY people are asking what they can do to help. Here are a few things that you can do:

1- Make and bring a sign! Write something nice on it, paint a picture, make a big heart, bring a balloon, ANYTHING so that you brighten the festivities and put a smile on Jordyn's face. Let her know you love her!

2- Smile and cheer for her and wave as she goes by.

3- Plan to be there early and CARPOOL. We think there will be lots of people so plan accordingly. Again, we are doing the best with what we have in terms of parking, etc so just do your best to get yourself to the house on time. You may have to sit around and wait for a while, but do it for Jordyn. She is worth it!

4- If you've bought Hope for Jordyn wristbands, wear them! Hold them high when she drives by!

5- There will be a book on a table to sign your name or write a brief message to Jordyn. Find it and sign it.

The general idea here is for us all to create a feeling of love and warmth for Jordyn as she arrives home. She wants to be at home so badly. Let's give her a welcoming that will lift her spirits with love.

Some other items-

There are some common themes in emails I am getting so I want to address them here:

Baking- People have asked if they can bake goodies for the welcomers. That would be fine! We'll try to put out a table and you can put them on the table or pass them out however you wish. Please don't bring anything that would create a lot of trash (nothing that requires utensils, plates, etc). This will not be a long event, once Jordyn is home and we have welcomed her we should let the family be alone and allow Jordyn to get settled back into her house with her family. However, there may be some waiting beforehand so if you plan to arrive early feel free to bring snacks. :-)

Gifts/Cards: Lots of people want to give Jordyn and Taylor gifts or cards. Anything for Jordyn must be new, in a sealed package and easily cleanable in order to prevent infection. We will put a table out with a basket for cards for those of you that bring something. Truthfully though, the most important thing to bring is yourself. Your presence to make this a warm welcome for Jordyn means so much.

Parking:
- There is a garden center on at the corner of Route 125 and South Road that has kindly agreed to let people park there. It is called Granite Creek Farms and the address is 316 South Road. It is a .2 mile walk to Jordyn's house.

- If you come via route 125, turn onto South Road and drive by Jordyn's house, there is a street on the right called Diane McCain Drive where you could park on the side of the street.

- If those places are full, do your best to find a spot to park and get to Jordyn's house!

Thanks so much to everyone. Please spread the word. Email me (Robin, Jordyn's Aunt) if you have any questions.

2009-11-03T12:39:00.004-05:00

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There is some very sad news regarding Jordyn.

Yesterday Jordyn had a test done which showed that despite the intense treatment she’s been undergoing at Boston Children’s Hospital, her bone marrow is saturated with cancer cells. The doctors sat down with Jordyn and her parents and they were given three options of what to do next. The choice that was made is that Jordyn will go home and receive oral chemotherapy there. She may be home by the end of the week.

As you can imagine, there are no words to describe this situation and the shock and pain the family is in. It is hard even to write these words. However, Jordyn has so many people who have loved and prayed for her through the years that it is important to get this information out.

We want to try to organize a big welcoming for Jordyn by having anyone who loves her line the side of her driveway, road, etc as she gets to her house. We are unsure at this moment when exactly she will be coming home, but please check back here often for more updates as all this gets figured out.

Jordyn will still be under heavy limitations in terms of visitors and will not be able to "mingle" with people who attend the homecoming. But she would love to see the faces of the friends, family and strangers who love her and wish her well.

We need help in organizing this homecoming, the logistics, spreading the word, etc. If you can help or have ideas please email me.

Thank you.

2009-11-01T20:33:00.003-05:00

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There is a new post from Jordyn's mom here (posted Nov. 1, 2009).
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2009-10-17T18:44:00.022-04:00

Jordyn's cousins wearing their Hope wristbands

To Order Wristbands in Support of
Jordyn Boucher and her Family:

Wristbands are $5 each. Checks can be made payable to "Jordyn's Hope Fund". Please include a note with your payment indicating:

- The address you would like them mailed to
- How many wristbands you would like and which sizes
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Large (best fit for men***OUT OF STOCK)
Medium (best fit for women and teens)
Small (best fit for children)

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Mail order to:
Robin Chalifour
19 Sloper Road
Strafford, NH 03884

We will mail your wristbands out to you promptly after receiving your order.

100% of all wristband sales go to Jordyn's family.

-Thank you-

2009-10-16T19:08:00.002-04:00

Go here to read the latest Carepage update from Jordyn's mother.
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2009-10-12T20:50:00.016-04:00

Introducing "10,000 Bands of Hope"

Our goal is to sell 10,000 wristbands in support of Jordyn and her family. The reason is two-fold. First and foremost it is to show support for this little girl, to let her and her family know that there is a small army of people hoping and praying for her to get better. At times like this, one of the only sources of comfort a family receives is in the kind thoughts and good wishes of family, friends and strangers. The support of community is powerful, and has the ability to make a family feel less alone in their battle.

The second reason is to take away what stress we can in terms of money for the family. Medical bills not covered by insurance are one obvious expense. In addition, once Jordyn is in remission, she will receive another bone marrow transplant. This is a long and intense process. It involves keeping Jordyn and her home environment germ-free in an effort to keep her weakened immune system as healthy as possible. In order to do this, changes will need to be made to Jordyn's home to prepare for her year-long "house arrest". We believe that the money raised in our "10,000 Bands of Hope" wristband drive will help the family by allowing them to make all necessary changes to give Jordyn the best chance at a full recovery.

We will reach our goal, one wristband at a time. Everyone who buys a wristband represents a person hoping and praying for our sweet Jordyn.

If you own a business and would consider putting a small box on your counter (where appropriate) for people to purchase wristbands, please contact me.

~Thank you~

2009-10-05T15:59:00.011-04:00

Jordyn's cousin wearing her Hope 4 Jordyn wristband

2009-09-19T10:12:00.006-04:00

"Can I find out if I am a bone marrow match for Jordyn?"

As you may know Jordyn will need another bone marrow transplant, and the search is on to find her a perfect match for the best possible outcome. Many people love Jordyn and her family and want to know if they can find out if they are that perfect match. However, it is not possible for friends and aquaintances to find out if they *only match Jordyn*. There is however an organization called the "Be the Match Registry". If you join this registry your results will be in a national database and you will be considered for any person that needs a bone marrow transplant. This registry is what is being searched for Jordyn's match.

Some people say they want to find out if they are a match for Jordyn, and would complete the process only for her. If that is the case, you should reconsider joining the registry and understand the commitment entirely. There are thousands of people that need bone marrow transplants who are in just as dire circumstances as Jordyn. Although you are touched by her because you know her story, you would be equally as touched by countless other individuals who are in need if you knew their stories. No one can predict who will be in need from the Be a Match Registy in the future. If you are between the ages of 18 and 61 you should consider becoming part of the registry. All the information you need to find out how to be included is found at http://www.marrow.org/. YOU could be a person's only hope at living. Imagine the honor it would be to give that gift.

2009-09-16T22:33:00.009-04:00

"How can I help?"

Jordyn's family is asked every day from friends, neighbors and strangers how they can help. You may be aware of the tremendous financial burden that care for sick loved one can cause, even if covered by insurance. There are daily expenses, medicines that are not covered and changes that will need to be made to their living arrangements once Jordyn is allowed to go home, especially after transplant. Tracey (Jordyn's mom) stays with Jordyn most days and nights in the hospital and is not able to work at this time. If you would like to help Jordyn, the best way to do so is by donating to Jordyn's Hope Fund. You can do so by sending a check to Jordyn's aunt (payable to the Jordyn's Hope Fund) to:

Jordyn's Hope Fund
c/o Robin Chalifour
19 Sloper Road
Strafford, NH 03884

Many people have asked for specific ideas of what Jordyn and her family need. From time to time we may be able to put ideas for those items on this blog. Please understand that right now Jordyn and her parents are completely focused on treatment and recovery and it's hard to think of anything aside from that. Money that is donated is sincerely appreciated so that as the needs arise, they can pay for things that come up.

If you would like to follow information on Jordyn's health and progress, you can do so at the Carepages website. You will need to register as a new member and then search for Jordyn's page, which is called jordynzjourney. Tracey updates that site as she has time and new information to share.