Prayers From Maria Foundation

Hello everyone! I’m James Patti, a passionate real estate professional with Howard Hanna Avon, and I also have the privilege of hosting the Emmy-nominated TV show, The American Dream. Our show is dedicated to highlighting incredible businesses, charities, people, real estate, and stories that truly reflect the vibrant culture and community spirit found across our nation. Each episode, we bring these inspiring narratives to life, sharing them with both a local and national audience.

This week, I’m particularly humbled and excited to share an interview with Megan and Ed McNamara, the founders of the Childhood Cancer Foundation, Prayers From Maria, based in Rocky River, OH. I’ll have the honor of speaking with them at the Family Fun in the Sun event on Sunday, September 29th, from 1 to 3 PM out in Avon, OH at their Sunflower Field of Hope.

Megan and Ed's story is one of resilience and hope. After the heartbreaking loss of their daughter, Maria, to glioma at just seven years old, they turned their grief into action, establishing the Prayers From Maria foundation. Their mission is to support families affected by childhood cancer and to fund innovative research to combat this devastating disease.

During our interview, I’ll delve into how their personal journey inspired the creation of Prayers From Maria and Maria's Sunflower Field of Hope, a beautiful initiative that symbolizes strength, community, and the unwavering spirit of families facing childhood cancer. I can’t wait to share their story and the incredible work they’re doing to make a difference.

Join us in celebrating their efforts and the inspiring community we have here! It’s an honor to shine a light on such important work and to be part of this meaningful event. We have one week before we film this event and nothing would make me happier than to show our support and tell the McNamara's that we raised $1,000 or more for the Prayers From Maria Foundation. Help me reach this donation goal over the next 7 days so that we can share it at Maria's Sunflower Field of Hope event in Avon on Sunday the 29th! For more info on Prayers From Maria visit https://www.prayersfrommaria.org/.

 

 

We are Club TDC from The Dance Centre by Heidi Glynias in Rocky River, celebrating 33 years of dance education! This team of dancers not only performs throughout the school year, but they also focus their talents and leadership skills on community and giving back, culminating with a benefit performance in which all proceeds are donated to a charity.

 

This season, we have selected Prayers From Maria as the recipient of our volunteering and fundraising efforts. Prayers From Maria is a local non-profit organization built out of love and compassion for children who suffer, and those who have died, from deadly brain tumors. Their mission is to provide childhood cancer patients with the support they desperately need, by reversing the tragic lack of funding and fueling the most meaningful brain cancer research for kids.

Our mission at TDC is to develop great dancers and human beings!  Through our benefit performance and fundraising, TDC students learn about a new organization each year that we select to support.  Awareness of the organization's needs, speaking to others about the cause, and successfully raising funds empower our students through their efforts to help others.  TDC students experience firsthand how they can directly impact positive change in their community!  

This GoFundMe is a large part of our fundraising efforts that is being launched on #GivingTuesday!

In addition to this campaign, our students helped at the Prayers from Maria Sunflower Field, volunteered at the PFM booth during the IX Center Christmas Connection, and they are currently raising money by selling Gratitude Cards (through December 18) during this Giving Season!

You can help us reach our goal by donating and/or sharing this link to our cause!

Follow us through the upcoming months as we work to bring awareness to this wonderful organization and as we prepare for our benefit show that will take place on April 30th, 2022! We hope you can join us!

 

Thank you in advance for your support whether financially, for helping us spread the word by sharing this information, and/or donating time for this cause!

 

 

 

 

Photo credit: Kelly Crews Photography