Day 33

While I was at work today, I went on to facebook and saw that one of my good friend's posted a link and a video that read "Help 3-year-old Shira beat cancer!" there was a picture of a little baby girl, boiled in her mother's arms. So I clicked it, the video was in Hebrew. The story is that the BAREL family had a happy and peaceful life, the father, the mother and five sweet little children. Like in all the stories, it began suddenly one day when their daughter Shira did not feel well. At the beginning, they thought that this is one of the usual kids' sicknesses, until the worst possible blow came down on them unexpectedly. Shira was diagnosed as suffering from brain cancer and she was only 3. Ever since then, their lives have changed from one extreme to the other. Her father remains by her bedside at the Pediatric Oncology Department at the Chaim Sheba Medical Center of Tel Hashomer, Israel, and as a result, he has been obliged to resign from his work. Whereas his wife is torn between the visits to the hospital and caring for the four little ones remaining at home.
A few weeks ago, Shira underwent a brain operation. After a difficult recovery, the malignant brain tumor reemerged with metastasis spreading to the spinal cord. Now Shira needs a treatment based on medication, which is quite expensive and the Barel family does not know, from where they will get the money. Her father says : “She is so little and so sweet, she does not understand why so many instruments are connected to her body and what for. She wants to have fun in a playground and enjoy herself like all the kids of her age.”
In the near future, the Barel Family will be obliged to evacuate their apartment: because of their difficult financial situation, they cannot raise payment for the rent. Furthermore, they have to fund from their own pocket the expensive medicines, which are not included in the Health Benefits Package and for which they have to foot the bill. And to do that they have been borrowing from everyone and anyone, especially since they have both lost their jobs and thus have been left without any source of income.
Shira has a twin brother, which in the video the mother explained that at times when Shira is hurting he points to the spot on his body that she is feeling pain, incredible. Shira's mother was so embarrassed to ask for money to help her daughter, that she even breakdown in tears on national television, it just broke my heart. It's so sad.
I know there are a million stories like this everyday all around the world, but I really take each case personally, its the reason I volunteer with the RMH. This is a life, its so precious and pure. It's a baby that deserves the chance to live and see a beautiful world; learn how ride a bike, play dress up, be able to have braids in her hair, dance, sing, laugh, jump, run after bubbles and grow up. If you can please help donate even just a $1 it will help! You gotta remember that every penny adds up! This little princess is such a fighter, please allow her her the ability of the gift of life.
I just donated $20.

I had to cancel Thursday's volunteer at the RMH because I forgot that I have a health examination for the Oranim Program. It's all good, I'll be there next week.
Tonight, I saw the movie 7 Pounds, which is one of my all time favorite movies! That movies gets me every time, I cant help but to burst into tears. What an amazing movie. SELFLESS. SELFLESS. SELFLESS. If you haven't watched you HAVE TO! I also need to see the Pursuit to Happiness, I actually bought it and haven't watched it but because I know its the same director and writer, I MUST! I heard its just as an amazing movie, kinda makes it hard to believe.
After that was over, I also watched a little bit of The Secret. I know all about The Secret and have been doing it for years even before I know how to identify what I was doing. Yet sometimes I do lose the drive and motivation to keep going with different things that are in my life. So yesterday when I watched it, a part that stood out for me was writing a list of all the things you are grateful for. Tomorrow I'm gonna go to my favorite spot at the beach and write it down. I feel that it will motivate me on the path of happiness and goal achieving. I always like to share things like that with my little 14 year old sister. I actually bought her the TEENS Secret, which I personally found better then The Secret. I was telling her that I was gonna make a list and that she should too. I love her, she is my pride in joy and one of my biggest achievements at bettering someones life. I really feel like I raised her to be such a smart, open-minded, big dreamer, young lady, with such passion, love, compassion, and self awareness. She was a few steps ahead of me, she told me that she wrote a list about 2 weeks ago and that every morning when she wakes up, she writes 5 things that she is grateful for. Her list now is at about 300 and it keeps her happy, grateful, appreciative, and passionate everyday. She is amazing. I do highly recommend you do this, just to see how blessed you truly are.
I also got the chance today to send my Grant letter to the Jewish Federation of Los Angeles because I'm runnin out of time, cross your fingers for me!

“Dreams are like the paints of a great artist. Your dreams are your paints, the world is your canvas. Believing, is the brush that converts your dreams into a masterpiece of reality.”



The Article video about Shira: http://reshet.ynet.co.il/חדשות/News/Domestic/Health/Article,36974.aspx

Shira's personal website for donation: http://www.shirab.co.il/len