Kids Show Us The
Way To Bear Our Burdens
Kids with cancer! Children not only suffering the knowledge of having a life-threatening illness, but also having to deal with the pain of the treatments themselves.
It’s not something we like to think about—especially at Christmas and holidays—if we don’t have to.
But at this warm and loving season, it is heart-warming to know that there’s an organization out there dedicated to doing something to help those kids and their families. It’s called KidsKickingCancer.net and it’s the brainchild of Rabbi/Professor Elimelech Goldberg—fondly known as Rabbi G by his students and the children in the program.
Rabbi G, who has a black belt in martial arts, lost his first child to cancer in 1983. Later he served 12 years as the director of a summer camp for kids with cancer. His experiences and his spiritual beliefs give him remarkable insight into the issues kids and their families must live with each day.
A special emphasis is placed on training kids in the Martial Arts so that they can learn to “develop their minds and souls to focus energy in a very powerful way.” Martial arts masters receive special training in helping kids through cancer issues and become much more than instructors to the children.
Rabbi G tells a true tale of two heroes that show the powerful Kids Kicking Cancer program in action.
Stephen J. was a favorite amongst the doctors and nurses of
Memorial Sloan-Kettering Hospital. He had been fighting his leukemia for
10 years, since he was a little boy. Recently, despite the advances of
modern medicine and the world class medical care of Sloan Kettering, Stephen
was losing his battle.
For the last few months, Stephen began training as a
warrior. He joined the Kids Kicking Cancer program where he learned from
his martial arts instructors who came to his bedside in the hospital, how to
use the power of his "Chi" (his inner energy), the calmness of his
breath, and the meditations of his mind to calm his growing pain. In
March, Stephen began to realize that he was dying. Robin Hardbattle of
our Kids Kicking Cancer staff, who works regularly at Sloan Kettering, told
Steven about a new movie that was just coming out. "300" was a
powerful blockbuster depiction of the battle of Thermopylae in which 300
Spartans held off half a million Persians for three days. "These
heroic Greeks lost the battle", Robin explained, "but they won the
war". Their heroic stand allowed the fledgling foundation of
Democracy, Greece, to ultimately be victorious. "You too, Stephen,
may be losing this battle, but you have won the war. Your heroism has
affected so many people, and you will be remembered forever."
Kids Kicking Cancer presented Stephen with the highest rank
of a martial artist in a special black belt ceremony that was held in his
hospital room. Amongst the doctors, nurses, family and friends who were
present, Stephen was presented with a black belt that had his name embroidered
in one end and the words "Master Teacher" on the other. The
Kids Kicking Cancer black belt ceremony is a part of our end-of-life care
program, which honors the child while focusing on the infinite light of his or
her heroic inner strength. It was in the midst of this ceremony that
Stephen requested that he be able to see the movie "300" before he
dies. Thanks to the wonderful intervention of Evelyn Iocolano of Lollipop
Theater Network, we were able to procure the DVD and bring it to Stephen's
room.
Kids Kicking Cancer has been blessed with two amazing friends
in Hollywood. Josh Lieberman of the Creative Artists Agency and Alan
Siegel of Siegel Entertainment. Both of these gentlemen introduced me to
Gerard Butler, the star of "300", Phantom of the Opera and a myriad
of other films. Gerry and I met several times in Los Angeles and he, like
many of his Hollywood friends, very quickly signed up to help our amazing
children. As Stephen was watching "300" in his hospital bed at
Sloan Kettering, I called Gerry Butler at his home. I told him all about
Stephen and why he was watching this powerful movie in his hospital room.
I asked Gerry to please give Stephen a call as the movie was ending;”Let him
know who you are, and make sure he hears from you that you, Stephen, are the
real hero." Half an hour later, a surprised Stephen received a call
from King Leonidas, the Spartan warrior from the Battle of Thermopylae.
"Stephen", he told him, "I want you to know that you really are the
true hero. Every time I am given the privilege to inspire millions of
people in a film, Stephen, it will be your light that has inspired me. I
will carry your heroic message with me to the entire world as long as I
live."
Stephen slipped into a coma two hours later. He never woke up, but he died knowing that he was a hero, just like the real life Gerard Butler. And that is forever.
“Getting through life requires the ability to “breathe” through one’s stress,” says Rabbi G. “There is no greater stress than having to care for a very sick child in the hospital. Focusing on calming our bodies is the central core of the martial arts techniques that we teach.”
One special service on their website is the list of beautiful, inspiring words and concepts that help the children breathe easier, dream sweeter, and feel more empowered. Perhaps you will find inspiration here, too. Read these inspiring words for your holiday season.
Rabbi G says: “We all go through ‘stuff.’ If these children can do it so can we.”
For more information and inspiration, visit www.kidskickingcancer.net
Barbara Payne,
managing principal of ReallyGoodFreelanceWriter.com and founder
of SWWAN (Single
Working Women’s Affiliate Network)), helps companies and executives
reach their marketing goals with writing that speaks from your heart—speeches,
executive communications, corporate/business blogs, and more. “Find your True
Voice…and grow your business”® Read her blogs: The SWWAN Blog,
BlogforBusiness.com,
BioMedNews.org.